Aidan O’Connell from Purdue and Gardner Minshew from Washington State are both accustomed to competing for their positions, a reality that has transitioned into the NFL. Despite their past successes and experiences, neither has solidified themselves as the Raiders’ starting quarterback.
Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce simply stated “Status quo” when questioned about the quarterback position, emphasizing the need for someone to step up and claim the role decisively.
Questions loom over the quarterback situations in various teams across the league. In Denver, the Broncos are navigating a competition between Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and Zach Wilson, with Stidham possibly holding an advantage. The decision not to draft Josh Allen in 2018 continues to haunt the Broncos.
Over in Pittsburgh, the Steelers underwent significant changes by acquiring Russell Wilson, subsequently trading Kenny Pickett to the Eagles, and later bringing in Justin Fields. Wilson’s injury has delayed his progress in training camp.
In New England, Jerod Mayo remains open-minded about the quarterback situation, with Drake Maye potentially in the running for the starting position. While Jacoby Brissett is likely to start initially, Joe Milton and Bailey Zappe are also in consideration.
Sam Darnold has joined the Vikings, expected to be a short-term solution while J.J. McCarthy is groomed for the quarterback role in the future. The hope is for Darnold to excel with support from players like Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones.
The Raiders’ Pierce plans to evaluate O’Connell and Minshew by providing them opportunities with the first-team offense during preseason games. Both quarterbacks are no strangers to competition and are ready to showcase their abilities on the field.
