Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew made the most of his preseason debut for the Silver and Black—so much so, he received a notable ringing endorsement.
The quarterback competition between Minshew and Aidan O’Connell (who’s technically the incumbent in this scenario) has been fighting it out in camp for the starting role. O’Connell certainly has the confidence of his head coach, Antonio Pierce, who both took on their respective roles following Josh McDaniels’ departure. Minshew, for his part, has come in and made the most of his opportunity; make no mistake, the man came to Las Vegas to win (no pun intended).
On Saturday, Minshew capitalized on his playing time—going six of 12 for 117 passing yards, tossing a touchdown as well. The former Jacksonville Jaguar made such an impression that he garnered significant praise on social media, namely from former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro wideout Dez Bryant.
Raiders News: “It Will Be The Minshew Show In Las Vegas” Says Dez Bryant
Bryant took to Twitter/X during Saturday’s action to weigh in on the “QB battle” that has been dominating headlines for the Raiders. In essence, Bryant stated he would be “surprised” if Minshew didn’t get the starting gig. On top of that, he mentioned that he’s yet to receive the “real opportunity” that he deserves. Minshew’s stops during his NFL career certainly warrant discussion. In all three of the teams where he has played, Minshew was essentially a stop-gap solution, a reliable backup at best. At the same time, he always made the most of his playing time. Whether it was getting the seat warm for Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville or nearly leading the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs (earning a Pro Bowl while doing it), Minshew showed up.
Now the question is, will he deliver some of that magic for the Raiders? We can certainly expect Minshew to start the Raiders’ second preseason game. If he builds on Saturday’s performance, the case for Minshew might grow louder—given that O’Connell struggles. If AOC also has a strong outing, this positional battle might head to a stalemate.
For now, it’s nice to see Minshew get some well-deserved praise.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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