Davante Adams Sees Potential in Aidan O'Connell
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell was thrown into an abnormal situation this season when it comes to NFL rookies.
When the 2023 season began, O'Connell was merely a backup learning from a much-experienced and winning quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo.
But when a new regime of Champ Kelly and Antonio Pierce was suddenly instated in Week 9, O'Connell immediately got the call- up to QB1, with the responsibility of leading one of the NFL's most historic franchises back to the postseason.
O'Connell conducted himself well, though, which earned him the respect of the locker room, including his top wide receiver, Davante Adams.
While O'Connell's poise was admirable, the Raiders could very well go with a new starter by the beginning of next season. However, Adams believes there is a lot of upside for the young quarterback, regardless of what his future holds.
"I think Aidan's situation is tough because he got -- like, this was not the way you dream up, getting in and getting your experience in the league," Adams said on the "Two G's in a Pod" podcast this week. "You don't come in and you get drafted, you have a really good preseason, and then, we had the hiccups with 10 [Garoppolo], and then, they kind of put him [O'Connell] in when he got hurt. He didn't have a great end to that game -- well, he did have a good end to that game, but the very end of the Chargers game [Week 4] wasn't great.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell earned the respect of one of the league's best wide receivers this season, Davante Adams.
© Trevor Ruszkowski | 2023 Dec 31
"Then, the way that he was kind of treated by the staff and the media, I didn't really agree with. ... So I felt like some of that stuff hindered his confidence early.
"But I don't know, sometimes you need a guy to sit behind somebody, sometimes, you need to throw him in there and get some experience. So one way or the other, I think he will be a good quarterback and somebody who can be a starter in this league at some point, and just comfortable learning a little bit more and also, like I said, changing the system. This system is for a veteran quarterback who knows what he's seeing, knows how to convert at a high level, and if you haven't had that experience, you can't have confidence that you're going to do that yet, so it just takes time.
"But I see him getting there eventually, though, for sure."
From February 27 to March 4, 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.
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