Najee Harris, Jack Conklin among veterans who could lose starting roles in 2024

There merely aren’t that many true quarterback battles across the NFL heading into camp, with the vast majority of competitions that includes bridge QBs making an attempt to carry off rookies. In Las Vegas, although, we’ve got a legit duel between two fascinating however flawed quarterbacks: Minshew and Aidan O’Connell.

Now, Minshew is the newcomer to this equation as an offseason signee, and if he emerges because the starter, he’d really be displacing O’Connell, who began 10 video games for the Raiders as a rookie final season. However Minshew continues to be the extra established veteran, and backing up O’Connell would mark a particular step down after he began 13 video games (and earned a Professional Bowl nod) for the Colts in 2023. To not point out, Vegas gave him fairly good cash on a two-year, $25 million contract.

Minshew clearly has the stronger physique of labor as a professional, with 37 NFL begins over 5 seasons. He really presents an honest ground, usually retaining his interceptions low, flashing some operating capability and retaining performs alive along with his never-quit strategy. However that reads extra just like the template for a higher-quality backup than a full-season starter.

Positive, the Raiders might open with Minshew within the beginning lineup and permit O’Connell the chance to win the job over the course of the season. However giving O’Connell a shot now feels just like the smarter transfer. Head coach Antonio Pierce has stated that O’Connell deserves an opportunity to start out primarily based on what he did in 2023. O’Connell stood out particularly in his last six begins, when he threw for 9 TDs, dedicated just one turnover and in the reduction of on the sacks he took. If the 2023 fourth-round decide flames out in 12 months 2, so be it; the Raiders can at all times flip to Minshew then. However that is doubtless O’Connell’s one greatest shot at profitable the job for the lengthy haul, and the Raiders know they should discover out what he can do earlier than probably turning their consideration to enhancing the QB place within the 2025 offseason.