The Las Vegas Raiders continue overhauling the front office and depth chart, as NFL insider Ian Rapoport announced on X (formerly Twitter) that rookie Aidan O’Connell will assume the QB1 mantle going forward. When Rapoport asked his source why, they simply replied, “he’s our best quarterback.”
Out With The Old, In With The New
With head coach Josh McDaniels already out the door, it’s fair to assume that veteran signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo will follow him to the unemployment line after the season.
That is if the Raiders are willing to eat a massive chunk of dead cap to release Garoppolo. The now-former starting quarterback has $11.25 million fully guaranteed for 2024. If Jimmy G is unable to pass a physical in March, another $11.25 million becomes guaranteed. If this sounds familiar, this is the exact situation Vegas found itself in with Derek Carr.
Benching Garoppolo is the only way to ensure that he stays healthy until the Raiders can cut ties in the offseason. He’s already dealt with a litany of injuries in his lone season with the Silver and Black; it wouldn’t make sense to risk further financial fallout from yet another injury.
Can Aidan O’Connell Be The Raiders’ Long-Term Starting QB?
Instead, the Raiders will turn to O’Connell. Throwing the first-year player into the fire isn’t ideal for anyone, let alone a quarterback, but the organization has painted itself into a corner. Will the Purdue alum seize the position and never look back? It’s at least a possibility, and Raider Nation will have nine games to find out.
In his only regular-season start, O’Connell struggled throughout most of the contest. The Chargers held AOC4 in check, as he completed only 24 of his 39 attempts, including an untimely interception. To his credit, the Boilermaker product found his way into the end zone with a QB sneak. But, all in all, it was a mixed bag.
Veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer started ahead of Aidan O’Connell against the Chicago Bears, but once the game was out of reach, O’Connell came in and looked much more comfortable. He went 10-of-13 with 75 yards and the first touchdown pass of his short career. The interception was unfortunate, but it was a noticeable improvement from his Week 4 showing.
While most Raiders fans hope to see O’Connell succeed, many are skeptical about his future standing with the franchise. Is he merely being pushed as the fall guy? Will the new regime even entertain him as the long-term QB1?
What If The New Regime Wants “Their Own Guy” Behind Center?
Based on previous moves of this nature, the odds are against O’Connell starting in 2024. It doesn’t help that the 2024 NFL Draft class is packed to the brim with quarterback talent. In all likelihood, a new general manager and head coach will handpick their own signal-caller. Simply put, O’Connell must outperform expectations to even have a chance.
If the overturn continues in the offseason, a handful of quarterbacks will pique the interest of whoever is calling the shots in Vegas. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are the consensus top 2 passers, and barring a losing streak of epic proportion, the Raiders will have a difficult time landing either one.
Outside of Williams and Maye, there are still several options for the next regime. J.J. McCarthy has played his way into the Day 1 conversation, and a potential pairing of McCarthy and his Michigan head coach, Jim Harbaugh, would elicit curiosity around the league — at a minimum.
Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix are two older prospects who would present the Raiders with experienced starters behind center. Both have red flags, including injury history and processing ability, but each one has a considerably higher upside than Aidan O’Connell. Sorry AOC4 — the truth is the truth, no matter how much it hurts.
Either Way, The Jimmy Garoppolo Era Has Come To An End For The Raiders
Things are more uncertain than ever at quarterback, but that uncertainty is preferred over the “certainty” of Josh McDaniels and Jimmy Garoppolo. That duo was going nowhere, and they were bringing down the entire franchise around them.
Now, although the future is clouded, it finally feels like a future exists for the Raiders. Here’s to hoping it is one that Raider Nation deserves; Lord knows the fan base needs some positivity.
*Top Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images