How Will the Raiders Handle the QB Competition in Preseason Games?
![Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) celebrates with Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (4) after scoring a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) celebrates with Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (4) after scoring a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4176,h_2349,x_0,y_121/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/raiders_today/01j3bh5a099re9f593ga.jpg)
As the Las Vegas Raiders inch closer to veterans reporting to training camp, so too does the quarterback competition.
The Raiders' coaches will have their hands full with deciding between Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II. What makes this competition more interesting is how the Raiders are going to go about this process.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce has said that it is going to be a fair competition and that it is O'Connell's job to lose.
With no joint practices scheduled for the Raiders, will this be a competition that is decided in practice, preseason, or both? These three preseason games for the Raiders are going to be interesting regarding how and what players play in the games.
Our Hondo S. Carpenter Sr. and the Spun's Matt Hladik discussed how the Raiders will handle the quarterback competition on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."
"If you are going to play Davante Adams with him [O'Connell], then you got to play Davante Adams with Gardner Minshew II," Carpenter said. "To me, I would almost want to see the Raiders come out and say it is going to be a battle. But it is going to be a battle in practice because we cannot control all the variables of preseason games."
"The staff is always evaluating everything," Hladik said. "For the most part, they go in with at least some leaning maybe some way. Or if it is a tie, tie goes to Aidan O'Connell because he is a guy they drafted. ... He is a guy they invested a little bit in, they want to see what he can do. Starting in that post is obviously a benefit to Aidan O'Connell. I think you are going to see Antonio Pierce and the offensive staff are going to evaluate though practice ... I think it is totally almost going to be a practice type of judgment. I would assume you are going to see both quarterbacks in the preseason. ... I think it sets up better for Aidan O'Connell because he has a body of work with this Raiders staff, even though Gardner Minshew has more playing experience in the NFL. I think a lot of it is going to come down to practice. it is going to come down to how they look behind the scenes."
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