The Las Vegas Raiders are inching towards returning to AFC playoff contention. They have the right coach, great fan support, and a solid core of skill players. The team's positive veteran presence and improving defense only intensify their overall potential.
The biggest question mark, however, hails at the quarterback position, as it often does. As it stands now, Gardner Minshew and second-year quarterback Aidan O'Connell are in a battle for the No.1 spot on the depth chart. Minshew has been a valuable backup quarterback during his time in the NFL and when he gets the chance to be a starter, he is capable of leading a team. O'Connell however, is raw, but he has great size, shows toughness in the pocket and his accuracy is good enough for guys like Davante Adams to get out in space.
The two players have developed chemistry in their limited time together and it has been enough for O'Connell to gain Adams' support.
The Support Of Your Teammates Trumps All
Adams is still one of the league's best wide receivers and if there was a list for the best receiver in the last decade, Adams is near the top. At this stage of his career, he is still the best player on his team and he has developed into a great leader to younger players, especially O'Connell.
Adams visited FS1's Speak show, sharing his thoughts on the Raiders' QB battle. "I want whoever is going to look the best with live bullets and who is confident to produce when it counts," Adams said last week. "But if I had to choose someone, I would say it is O'Connell's job to lose. He showed a lot playing with the starters last season and had many good moments last year. He has great confidence and I think it would take a lot for this job to be taken away from him come September".
In the games that O'Connell and Adams played side by side (11), Adams brought in 58 receptions, five touchdowns, and was one of the most targeted receivers in the league during that span. The connection between the two is evident and if O'Connell wins the job, it could happen again.
The Core Around O'Connell Is Built For Him To Succeed
Outside of Adams, the Raiders' pass-catching core features rookie tight end Brock Bowers, Michael Meyer, Michael Gallup, and Jakobi Meyers, with the latter two likely to bring dependability to the offense. Out of the backfield, the speedster Zamir White is often a force in the passing game and could give O'Connell a great dump-off option.
Of the core, Bowers brings the most to the offense thanks to his elite versatility. Bowers' wide catch radius, quickness, and superb body control will make him an easy target for O'Connell early on. It will not be long until Bowers is a household name in the NFL.
For fantasy football players out there, taking a chance on the skill players in this offense (mainly Adams, White, and Bowers), would be a pretty safe bet. Overall, O'Connell is still young and has a lot to learn but luckily for him, he has a great group of weapons around him. The potential for this offense is high.
Room for Improvement
Going into 2024, O'Connell still has a lot to improve on as an NFL quarterback. If he happens to win the job outright, O'Connell will have to show enough to remain the starting quarterback. If he begins to struggle, the Raiders would turn to Minshew and perhaps O'Connell would become an afterthought.
There was a similar situation for the Raiders during last season. When Jimmy Garappolo went down early in the year, O'Connell played most of the season, keeping the Raiders above water. This year, he cannot just keep the Raiders above the water, the team has to leap and it starts with O'Connell. From a skill perspective, O'Connell will need to get stronger in the pocket and use his big frame to stand tall and deliver the right pass instead of forcing a poor throw.
O'Connell is coming off of a porous 60.6% completion percentage while ranking No.25 in quarterback rating (QBR). These numbers say it all, O'Connell is nowhere near a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. Given how he plays, what is around him, and what he has to prove, however, O'Connell can get to the next level. When he does that, the Raiders team will follow close behind.
Looking Ahead
The Raiders are already in for a prove-it season, but luckily they will not have to face a tough schedule during it. In 2024, the Raiders have the No.23 ranked schedule in the league. Matchups with Kansas City (2), Baltimore, and Cincinnati however, will not be easy.
Will the Raiders ultimately make a Super Bowl run? That is highly unlikely. Can the team make a run for the final playoff spot when January rolls around? That is a high possibility with the current Raiders. The Raiders have been one of the worst teams over the last two decades, plain and simple. Improvement though, tends to come around eventually and in the 2024-2025 season, the Raiders could finally hit their stride.
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