What QB Competition Means for Raiders WRs

The Las Vegas Raiders' wide receiver group will be affected by whoever earns the starting quarterback job.

Dec 14, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders still have not figured out who their starting quarterback will be. 

Second-year man Aidan O’Connell and journeyman veteran Gardner Minshew II are still battling it out for the job. Neither seems to have gained a leg up on the other at this point in the summer. 

The Raiders have a few more weeks to evaluate their options at quarterback before they take the field against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1. They are certainly hoping someone will take command of the battle and separate themselves by then. 

The wide receiver group is the position group that could be most affected by the winner of the starting job. After all, they are the ones who catch the passes. 

O’Connell started ten games for the Raiders in his rookie season, putting up impressive numbers to end the season. He built chemistry with the team’s current group of receivers, who are all back from last season. 

Noticeably, Davante Adams played much better with O’Connell than he did with Jimmy Garoppolo. While he still had games with the Herculean efforts we’ve grown used to seeing from him, Garoppolo seemed to favor Jakobi Meyers a little more. 

Adams revealed he signed off on the quarterback change and has been complimentary of O’Connell all offseason. Could O’Connell’s built-in chemistry with the wide receiver group give him an advantage in the competition? 

Minshew joins the team as a free agent, looking to build chemistry with the receivers and develop rapport. He does not have the relationships O’Connell already has with the pass-catchers, but Minshew has been around the block before. 

Minshew has spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Philadelphia Eagles, and he has performed quite well as a journeyman, keeping teams in playoff races when the starting quarterback would be out. 

Minshew is also more prone to taking risks as a passer, so Raiders receivers should have more big-play opportunities with him. That, however, also comes with turnovers, so he may not always put the ball in the best place for the receiver. 

Minshew’s game is very volatile, while O’Connell is a little more consistent and takes better care of the football. 

The Raiders’ wide receiver group is waiting on who the starting quarterback will be, just like the rest of the fanbase. No matter who it ends up being, the receiver group will do their best to make plays.

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