Gardner Minshew received the backing of Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce earlier in the season, but a quarterback change has indeed been made partway through the team’s Week 5 matchup.

Minshew began the game completing 12 of 17 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. He threw an interception when the Raiders were close to scoring a touchdown, however, with Broncos corner Patrick Surtain returning it 100 yards for a Denver score. Minshew then tossed another pick late in the third quarter, and Vegas’ next possession had Aidan O’Connell in at quarterback. He completed 10 of his 20 passing attempts for 94 yards and an interception of his own as the Raiders fell to the Broncos, 34-18.

Pierce declined to name a Week 6 start immediately after the loss, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, but the mid-game switch indicates that a long-term change at quarterback is under consideration.

O’Connell had an encouraging finish to his rookie season in 2023, having been inserted into the lineup once Pierce was promoted to head coach on an interim basis. O’Connell received praise from the head coach during the offseason, but the Raiders gave Minshew a two-year, $25MM pact in free agency to serve as a bridge starter mentoring a rookie or a veteran capable of handling full-time starting duties. Neither passer ran away with the QB1 gig this summer, and it was Minshew who got the nod for the beginning of the campaign.

Through Vegas’ first four contests, the 28-year-old completed a career-high 70.7% of his passes. That resulted in an average of only 219 yards per game, though, and Minshew threw as many touchdowns (three) as interceptions. Struggling in the turnover department today – something which was a factor in him landing the starter’s role in the first place – has exacerbated the ongoing questions about Minshew’s status atop the depth chart. For a brief stretch, at least, O’Connell will get the opportunity to lead the Raiders’ offense.

Of course, that unit does not have All-Pro wideout Davante Adams in place for time being, and a trade sending him elsewhere could be finalized in the coming days. The likes of first-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers and veteran receiver Jakobi Meyers will handle the build of Vegas’ pass-catching work provided Adams does end up being dealt ahead of the trade deadline. With or without him, a strong showing by O’Connell, 26, could allow him to take over as the starter moving forward.

The Purdue product is attached to his rookie contract through the 2026 campaign, while Minshew’s deal includes $3.16MM guaranteed for next year. Both signal-callers should remain in the fold regardless of how the rest of this season plays out, but an extended O’Connell evaluation period could now be in store.

SEPTEMBER 25: Pierce ended the suspense regarding his starter, declaring Wednesday that Minshew “is the quarterback.” It would have been strange for the new HC to bring forth a change so soon, but leaving the door open as he did does leave this situation unstable before September’s end.

SEPTEMBER 24: Gardner Minshew did not finish the Raiders’ Week 3 loss to the Panthers, and Antonio Pierce left the door open to benching the quarterback he went with after a months-long position battle. It does not appear Pierce is ready to pull the plug just yet.

The Raiders parked Minshew during a stunning loss, and Pierce declined to confirm postgame his starting QB plan would remain the same. Aidan O’Connell entered and completed 9 of 12 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, coming in weeks after losing a close competition to the more experienced passer. O’Connell may well have a chance to start again, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates Minshew will remain at the controls for the Raiders in Week 4.

Although Pierce criticized certain Raider players for their effort in the team’s home defeat, Minshew is barely a week removed from leading the team to a comeback win in Baltimore. The former Jaguars and Colts starter completed 30 of 38 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens; a switch to O’Connell two weeks later would certainly feel premature. But a change will be a Raiders storyline to monitor, as this is a transition season that features Minshew as a placeholder.

Signed in the event the Raiders did not end up with a quarterback prospect in the draft, Minshew inked a two-year, $25MM deal. That led all non-Kirk Cousins FA quarterbacks this offseason. Minshew played effectively in helping the Colts stay in the playoff race last season, and Indianapolis currently is not enjoying the kind of stability — albeit without a high ceiling — its primary 2023 starter offered. After ranking 13th in QBR last season, Minshew sits 24th through three games.

The Raiders showed steady interest in trading up for Jayden Daniels, most likely being the only team to submit an offer to the Commanders for No. 2 overall. Las Vegas also discussed the Nos. 3-5 picks, with Pierce potentially readier to part with necessary assets in a trade-up compared to GM Tom Telesco‘s mindset. Linked to Michael Penix Jr., the Raiders were not prepared to trade up for the player the Falcons surprisingly chose at No. 8 overall. Once the Broncos drafted Bo Nix at 12, the Raiders were effectively locked out of first-round-level QBs. They then chose Brock Bowers, effectively tabling their quarterback plan to 2025.

Vegas links to the likes of Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders and Quinn Ewers figure to emerge in the coming weeks and months, though those passers’ values have yet to crystalize. Minshew’s contract guarantees $3.16 of his $11.84MM 2025 base salary, giving the Raiders some flexibility next year. O’Connell, who started every game during Pierce’s interim HC season (after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s benching), is signed through 2026. He makes more sense as a Raiders 2025 bridge option/eventual backup compared to Minshew, who could be a trade candidate next year.

O’Connell was believed to be ahead of Minshew for several weeks this offseason, only to lose the battle due to the coaching staff’s feeling the latter option was better equipped to help this team avoid a slow start. With the Raiders at 1-2, Minshew will begin to test Pierce’s patience. The 28-year-old passer remains at the helm in Pierce’s first season as a full-time HC. The leash still appears short, as it always looked to be, but the sixth-year passer will hold off O’Connell for at least one more week.

As expected, the Raiders unveiled their quarterback plan after their second preseason contest. Head coach Antonio Pierce announced on Sunday that veteran Gardner Minshew will handle starting duties to begin the campaign.

That move ran counter to the way things were shaping up at the start of the offseason. Incumbent Aidan O’Connell worked with the first-team offense during the spring, and Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes the 2023 fourth-rounder threw fewer interceptions during practice than Minshew (subscription required). The latter’s mobility – and the importance of that skillet in OC Luke Getsy‘s system – was a key factor in winning the competition, though.

“There’s a lot of factors, so we feel like Gardner gives us the best opportunity to get off to a fast start, and that’s what we’re going with,” Pierce said when announcing the decision (via Tafur). “His personality is infectious … his leadership is infectious. Things [to improve on], footwork in the pocket, staying on script. There’s some magic about him when he does break the pocket and does his thing, but there’s a lot of times where if the first or second read is there, we got to let it rip.”

O’Connell’s arm strength and accuracy were more impressive during the offseason than Minshew’s, Tafur adds, but not by a large margin. As a result, the former sixth-rounder will get the opportunity to at least kick off the season atop the depth chart. Minshew has 37 starts to his name, including 13 last year when he took over for the injured Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis. His 84.6 passer rating helped keep the Colts in contention for a postseason berth through Week 18, but a more efficient output will be asked of him with the Raiders.

Minshew inked a two-year, $25MM deal in free agency and secured $15MM in guarantees in the process. The Colts were interested in keeping him in the fold as Richardson insurance, but the team was not prepared to match that financial commitment. With $3.16MM of his 2025 salary already locked in, the 28-year-old has a chance of remaining in Vegas regardless of how he performs in his latest QB1 gig.

O’Connell has three years remaining on his rookie contract, so he too should be assured of a roster spot for the foreseeable future (although the Raiders pursued a move up the first-round order during the draft to secure a quarterback and the team has frequently been named as a candidate to make a free agent addition under center next March). The Purdue alum – who drew considerable praise from Pierce after his rookie campaign and through the early portion of the offseason – could still get an opportunity if Minshew were to miss time through injury or struggle in the early going, but losing an open competition obviously represents a discouraging sign for his future starting potential in Vegas.

Last we heard, the Raiders were in no hurry to announce who would enter the 2024 NFL season as their starting quarterback. That was two weeks ago, and now, that tune has changed. Head coach Antonio Pierce has stated that the team’s “goal is to announce a starter following the team’s next exhibition game,” per ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez.

So, what changed to prompt Pierce to decide that it’s time? “We’ve got to get ready to play football, and I think we’ve got enough film,” Pierce told the media following the team’s first preseason contest. “We’ll have two games here (by that point) to evaluate both quarterbacks to see how they’ll play.”

It’s currently a two-man race between veteran Gardner Minshew and second-year passer Aidan O’Connell. O’Connell started 10 games (including the last nine games of the season) for Las Vegas last year as a fourth-round rookie out of Purdue. Taking over for a benched Jimmy Garoppolo, he went 5-5 in those starts, completing 62.1 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

Minshew’s career as a starter has been a rollercoaster. Drafted out of Washington State as a backup for Nick Foles in Jacksonville, Minshew was immediately pushed into action when Foles suffered an injury that would keep him out for most of the season. Minshew became an overnight sensation that season, going 6-6 in 12 starts and throwing 21 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He entered the following season as the starter, but injuries and a 1-7 record pushed him out of the role.

Minshew was traded to the Eagles, where he started four games over the next two years as a backup to Jalen Hurts. His rookie contract expired, Minshew signed with the Colts, hoping to win an open starting job post-Matt Ryan. Indianapolis ended up drafting Anthony Richardson fourth overall in the first round, but Richardson got hurt, eventually missing the final 12 games of the season. Minshew took over as the Colts’ starter, and returned to his usual self, excelling as a surprise starter. In 13 starts, Minshew went 7-6 last year.

O’Connell started the Raiders’ first preseason game, playing one quarter of football. He went seven of nine for 76 yards as he led the team on an 83-yard field goal drive to open the scoring for Las Vegas. Minshew took over in the second quarter, playing four series. He completed six of 12 pass attempts for 117 yards and a touchdown.

The Raiders were viewed as a team that could have drafted a quarterback in the first round back in April, one that could have competed with these two unlikely starting candidates, but they instead opted to select the draft’s top tight end prospect in Georgia’s Brock Bowers. In a recent interview on Scoop City, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco detailed that the team didn’t “pass” on a quarterback, he just believes the draft didn’t shake out in a way that allowed them to take a passer. There were six quarterbacks taken before their selection, and the next passer wasn’t selected until the fifth round. If something fell to them, the Raiders might have had another competitor for this job. As it played out, though, they instead got a new weapon for the competitors they have now.

Those competitors will now have a week to prove their mettle. A week of practices and a preseason game against the Cowboys is all they have now to prove they deserve the starting job. We’ll keep a close eye on any developments in the coming week.

Raiders general manager Tom Telesco made it clear this spring the team would conduct a genuine competition for the starting quarterback job. 2023 fourth-rounder Aidan O’Connell and free agent addition Gardner Minshew split first-team reps in OTAs and minicamp, setting up an interesting situation for the summer.

O’Connell took over from Jimmy Garoppolo midway through last season, and his final weeks of the campaign in particular led to strong endorsements from head coach Antonio Pierce. The 25-year-old received a vote of confidence to enter camp atop the depth chart, but Vegas was among the teams known to be interested in adding a first-round rookie quarterback. In the end, the Raiders did not have the option to trade into a top three slot and add a passer.

Minshew signed a two-year, $25MM contract in March to provide Vegas with either an experienced bridge starter or a veteran capable of stepping in for a rookie. The team viewed him as an insurance policy for any potential draft additions, but with none being made the 28-year-old will have a chance to win the QB1 gig during the summer. He may have ground to make up once training camp opens, though.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted during a recent SportsCenter appearance that while the Raiders’ competition is a “real battle,” O’Connell may have the lead at this point. Familiarity with the team is a factor in his potential edge (along with, as Fowler notes, support from wideout Davante Adams) although Vegas has installed a new scheme this offseason under offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Fowler does add that Minshew has grown comfortable in the team’s offense as well, leaving plenty to be decided in the coming weeks.

Fowler predicts both O’Connell and Minshew could wind up seeing playing time in the preseason, something which is generally not the case for starters at many positions (especially quarterback) these days. If training camp practices are not sufficient for a leading candidate to emerge, though, Pierce may be required to use both signal-callers in game action to determine the order of the depth chart.

O’Connell is attached to his rookie contract for three more years at cap hits no larger than $1.27MM. Minshew, meanwhile, has scheduled cap charges of just $5.84MM and $3.16MM over the next two seasons thanks to the void years present in his deal. The Raiders will therefore have a cost-effective QB tandem in 2024, but it remains to be seen who will get the nod for Week 1.

While the Raiders ended up leaving the draft without a quarterback, the team considered rookie signal-callers up until the buzzer. In fact, the team’s previous offseason moves helped set them up for whatever the draft threw their way.

[RELATED: Raiders To Hold QB Competition Between O’Connell, Minshew]

As Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes, the Raiders’ signing of Gardner Minshew was effectively “insurance” in case they couldn’t land one of the draft’s top QB prospects. Considering free agency comes a few months before the draft, the organization added Minshew with the understanding that the veteran could be a seat warmer for a first-round QB or he could be their full-time starter in 2024.

It ended up being the latter. As Bonsignore notes, the Raiders were eager to move up in the draft, but they only had their eyes on the projected top-three picks (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye). The Bears, Commanders, and Patriots were unwilling to budge, and the Raiders front office believed they’d be reaching for the second-tier of QBs at No. 13.

Of course, the Raiders didn’t even have the opportunity to consider a reach, as Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix all flew off the board before it was the Raiders’ turn to pick. Penix may have been the wildcard in this grouping. While Bonsignore notes that no one knows how the front office would have proceeded if the Washington product was there at No. 13, the Raiders never considered moving up the board to acquire the QB.

So, with the organization opting against a rookie QB, the team will be temporarily handing the reigns to either Minshew or Aidan O’Connell. Minshew’s two-year contract includes $15MM guaranteed on a deal worth $25MM. That value may be a bit high for a backup, but it certainly wouldn’t be enough to stop the Raiders from considering other options. O’Connell had a chance to start at the end of the 2023 campaign, with the former fourth-rounder posting a passer rating of 83.9 while registering a 12:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio.