The Las Vegas Raiders‘ quarterback room has undergone a major transformation this offseason with the additions of Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza. Cousins is the expected starter this season, while Mendoza is the quarterback of the future.
That looked like bad news for Aidan O’Connell. He’s spent some time as a starter over his first three years, but his ceiling is likely a high-end backup. There’s been a lot of speculation that the Raiders will cut or trade O’Connell.
Teams don’t always keep three quarterbacks on the active roster, and Mendoza and Cousins aren’t going anywhere. However, not everybody thinks the Raiders will move on from O’Connell. NFL.com’s Nick Shook thinks the team will stick with three quarterbacks this season.
“That’s a fantastic question because I honestly believe this is one of those situations where you can completely justify carrying three,” Shook said on the “Locked On Raiders Podcast.” “What he’s done over the last couple of seasons has proven that he’s gonna have a very long career as a dependable backup. And Kirk Cousins is no spring chicken. And while you like having Kirk Cousins in there as a veteran that can run the offense as Klint Kubiak desires, he said publicly months ago, he’s not long for Vegas. Even that contract itself, the way it’s structured, he is not long for the Raiders. I don’t think it’s worth risking losing O’Connell via practice squad or maybe trying to move him. As your ideal long-term backup, your Gary Kubiak to John Elway, if you will, in an effort to try to save a roster spot for a position elsewhere, especially as you’re standing right now with this team. So I believe that they will be one of those teams that carries three. You’ll see the emergency third dresser, that sort of thing, with this team, and it’ll be O’Connell.”
Should O’Connell Be Raiders’ Long-Term Backup?
The Raiders hope that Mendoza will be able to start every game for the foreseeable future, but that’s not realistic. Even the most durable quarterbacks eventually miss time.
The team will need a capable long-term backup for Mendoza. O’Connell could fit the bill. Similar to Mendoza, he’s a quarterback who is going to try to win in the pocket and not make many plays with his legs.
O’Connell also doesn’t turn the ball over a ton, which is exactly what coaches want from a backup. He won’t be the backup this year, but he could make sense as a long-term option if the team likes him.
O’Connell in Contract Year
While O’Connell could make sense as a long-term backup, there’s no guarantee he’d be back next season. He’s in the last year of his deal, and he’s going to want to go to a place where he can compete for playing time if he hits free agency.
That’s why it’s easy to see the Raiders trying to trade him and get something for him now before he can leave in free agency. At the same time, Las Vegas isn’t going to get a haul for O’Connell in any trade, so they may not be too worried about that.
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