REPORT: Aidan O'Connell Dubbed Raiders' X-Factor

Pro Football Focus declared Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell the team's X-factor.

Dec 31, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (4) passes the ball in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

All eyes are on the Las Vegas Raiders' quarterback battle this offseason.

Some think veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew II will be the starter come Week 1, while others believe second-year Raider Aidan O'Connell will retain his title as QB1.

Should O'Connell hold on to his starting job, the pressure is going to be as high as it has been since he was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. O'Connell didn't have much to lose being named a rookie starter on a team that essentially started from scratch after Week 8 last season, but now, the expectations for both him and the team as a whole will be much higher.

In a recent article from Jim Wyman and Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus, O'Connell was dubbed the Raiders' X-factor.

Here's what they had to say about the young quarterback:

"Aidan O’Connell was thrown into the fire a little sooner than the rookie fourth-rounder probably expected, with mixed results. His 65.9 PFF grade ranked 28th out of 38 quarterbacks, though there were some solid performances mixed in, particularly in his first game against the Chiefs, where he completed 23-of-33 passes for 248 yards and a score. He also made two big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays, forming an 83.7 passing grade.

With all the big-name quarterbacks gone by the time the Raiders picked at No. 13 in the 2024 NFL Draft, this quarterback job will be O’Connell’s to lose. And if he does underperform, the Raiders have probably the most competent backup quarterback in the league in Gardner Minshew."

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