Raiders QB Gardner Minshew's Opinion of Las Vegas' Defense

New Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew shared his thoughts on the team's defense.

Dec 31, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew (10) passes the ball while Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) defends in the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco signed veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew to challenge second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell for the team’s starting position this offseason. Minshew joins the Silver and Black after a successful stint with the Indianapolis Colts. Early on during OTAs, Minshew and the Raiders offense has been challenged by a talented Raiders defense that returns most of its starters. 

It is still early in the summer, and the team has yet to practice at full speed or with pads on. Still, it is evident just how talented the defense has the potential to be. Minshew has increasingly gotten repetitions against the Raiders’ defense and has been impressed by what he’s seen so far.

Minshew said OTAs usually start pretty slow. However, the Raiders’ defense has thrown caution to the wind and has turned up the pressure on the offense, which is installing a new offense. 

 "Oh, it's huge, man, you got to be ready,” Minshew said. “Typically, coming in, you get day one looks, day two looks. It's pretty base, pretty vanilla. Our defense is coming out, guns blazing first day, and that really makes you be on your stuff. Not only to know what you have on perfect looks, but when things break down, when it's not an ideal look on a play, how are you going to make it work? And I think we've been doing a good job of that through camp." 

Minshew firmly said veteran defensive lineman Maxx Crosby and the Raiders defense have come to practice on a mission. Minshew believes the defense’s intensity in practice will make the offense better.

Like last year’s offseason practices, Minshew believes Crosby and the defense were trying to send a message and set the tone early. The veteran quarterback feels the defense's intensity makes practice more fun for players on both sides of the ball.

"Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Minshew said. “The first day, I think he was trying to send a message, but I had to send a message back. It’s been fun, man. He's competitive. He's going to push it to the limit. And like you're saying, with everything else the defense is doing like, that's only going to make us better. And it makes practice a lot of fun, too."

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