After two preseason contests, a decision has been made at the quarterback spot for the Raiders. Head coach Antonio Pierce announced on Sunday that Gardner Minshew will get the nod for Week 1. 
Minshew had spent the offseason competing with Aidan O’Connell for the QB1 gig. The latter closed out the 2023 season atop the depth chart, taking over from Jimmy Garoppolo after Josh McDaniels was fired and replaced by Pierce. Raiders owner Mark Davis – who regretted not previously giving the full-time coaching position to Rich Bisaccia – tapped Pierce for the job as one of the key decisions of this offseason.
That move gave O’Connell an ally ahead of the competition which took place over the spring and much of training camp. Pierce praised the 2023 fourth-rounder, who complied a 5-5 record, 12:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 83.9 passer rating while at the helm last year. Upon moving on from Garoppolo, though, it was clear at least one other passer capable of competing for the starter’s role would be added. Vegas was frequently tied to moving up for a Day 1 quarterback (particularly Jayden Daniels), with Pierce appearing to be a stronger advocate of doing so than new general manager Tom Telesco.
In the end, the Raiders selected tight end Brock Bowers on the opening night of the draft, paving the way for Minshew to take hold of the top QB spot. The latter inked a two-year, $25MM deal in free agency – terms which suggested he would be counted on as a first-team option especially if no rookie was added. Minshew received $15MM guaranteed, and he has a commitment for 2025 as well with $3.16MM of his base salary for that season already locked in. Indianapolis (the team which the 28-year-old spent last season with) was interested in retaining him, but the Colts were not willing to match the financial investment made by the Raiders.
Vegas moved on from Derek Carr last offseason, paving the way for a new quarterback to handle the starter’s role for the first time since 2014. Garoppolo was unable to remain healthy for long in his debut Raiders campaign, though, and Davante Adams was among the players who was on board with the decision to bench him. As the team looks to take a needed step forward in the passing game, Adams will have another new face under center to begin 2024.
Minshew entered training camp with the competition too close to call, and Pierce made it clear he was willing to remain patient before making a final decision. It was expected that a commitment would be made official after Week 2 of the preseason, however, and that has proven to be the case. Pierce admitted (via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez) after the team’s loss to the Cowboys that neither quarterback had demonstrably stood out over the other. He consulted with both Telesco and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy before tapping Minshew for the gig (h/t Tashan Reed of The Athletic).
To little surprise, Pierce added that the Raiders will not play their starters in their final preseason contest. Minshew will thus be a spectator for that contest while preparing for QB1 duties with his latest team. The former sixth-rounder saw his Jaguars tenure come to an end after two seasons in Jacksonville. He handled backup duties in Philadelphia during the 2021 and ’22 campaigns, working with Shane Steichen during that time. Minshew elected to join Steichen in Indianapolis last year, and Anthony Richardson‘s season-ending shoulder injury left him in place to handle starting duties for much of the season.
Minshew set a new career high in passing yards (3,305) in 2023, earning a Pro Bowl invite. His touchdown (15) and completion percentage (62.2%) figures left plenty to be desired though, and an improvement would be welcomed by the Raiders this season. With O’Connell still in place as a backup with three years remaining on his rookie contract, it will be Minshew who gets the first opportunity to lead Vegas’ offense during Pierce’s first full season at the helm.
Hope he runs away with it….He’s getting a legit shot to prove he can be able capable starter which I think he can
Either guy is only going to be a near term placeholder. If the Raiders thought O’Connell was a long term solution he would have been named the starter. Minshew has already proven elsewhere that he can start and do a respectable job but he is not a franchise QB. He’s the kind of guy teams look to upgrade from.
Minshew has similar stats to Trevor Lawrence
I know people say “We know what Minshew is at this point”, but he’s not old. It’s not hard to think that he could still develop to some degree. O’Connell hasn’t shown anything to suggest that he could be a different level of quarterback than Minshew at a baseline level, and while I don’t think that he’s terrible, I don’t think that there’s solid evidence to suggest that he’s categorically better.
Unless Minshew demolishes the competition, his starting position isn’t untouchable right now, anyway. O’Connell will play if Minshew regresses, and Minshew will probably be relegated to backup contracts going forward. But, right now, there’s nothing to suggest that Minshew doesn’t offer more than O’Connell in my eyes, and nothing to suggest that he’s too old to improve at all as a starter. Unless either of these two puts up an incredible year, the Raiders figure to be angling for a quarterback in the future soon, as is.
One interesting thing to note, though, in that department: Telesco spent the majority of his career with two unquestioned stud quarterbacks in Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert. He picked the latter, and inherited the former. The question is: how selective will he be in finding a quarterback for Las Vegas? If Telesco is insistent that his new QB be a for sure top end blue chip (meaning, he wants to really sure to only pick a great prospect) there may be a greater opportunity for Minshew or O’Connell to have a greater chance to start multiple seasons than there would be otherwise.
Nothing at all against O’Connell, I’ve got no dog in this fight, but I’m happy for Minshew. And I continue to be impressed by Pierce. He seems calm and confident without being cocky, and he’s making unhurried decisions that involve input from coaches and players around him.
It was obvious the 1st game when they gave him way more opportunities.
It was also when they gave him that contract
MINSHEWMANIA is alive and well and living in Las Vegas baby!!!! Gardner for pre-season MVP !!! But seriously, in my opinion Gardner is a good QB who got caught in the numbers game. He’s a good guy who you can’t help but like. Got to start growing the Minshewmania official mustache.
Uncle Rico lives to fight another day!
How much you want to bet that he could throw a football over them mountains…
Coach should have put him in the second half. They could have won a state championship! I
Shocker!! The free agent pickup who was handed $25 Ms is a starter? No way!!!
The prognosticators seem to be down on Vegas this year.
Two QBs with league level experience. Neither one seems to get rattled all that much and can take a hit. I’m taking the over on win total.
And kudos to the FO for securing their services for a total of under 15 million for the 2 of them.
Yeah because a handful of starts qualifies a QB as good… You are describing CJ Beathard, and virtually every other backup QB in the league. Odd take to be dunking on overpaying for two backups.
Didn’t say they were “good”. Just said they both have experience. And I believe a maturity within their experiences to have the Raiders play better than what sports betting agencies are giving them credit for.
I like him. He seems like a cool cat.
Could do alot worse than having Garndner Minshew as your starting QB. Even if he’s just bridge guy.
Minshew will be helped immensely by having Davante Adams as his #1 receiver, but the Raiders as a whole are a 6 win team at best, regardless of who starts at QB.
Minshew looks a lot like Kenny Stabler in that Raider uniform so maybe it would help O’Connell if he also grew a cookie duster.
Just tried to picture O’Connell taking that stache to cookie duster status. Oof. Pass on that. If anything; maybe shave it all off. Please.