One of the few free agent moves the Las Vegas Raiders made last year was signing quarterback Gardner Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract. That may have been the move that got general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce fired.
Minshew was named the Week 1 starter and was one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL. He threw nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions before a broken collarbone knocked him out for the season.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where new general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll want to retain Minshew. Pro Football Network listed the quarterback as the Raiders’ top cut candidate this offseason.
“It would be a surprise if the Las Vegas Raiders brought Gardner Minshew II back for the 2025 season,” Pro Football Network wrote in a Jan. 26 column. “With over $90 million in projected cap space, they do not need to cut him, but keeping him around would muddy the waters.
“Minshew finished the season ranked 35th in PFN’s QB+ rankings with a D- grade. Aidan O’Connell finished 20th (C) and deserves an opportunity to start if the Raiders do not bring in a clear-cut starter this offseason. For that reason, it would be somewhat tough to keep Minshew as well.”
Does Aidan O’Connell Have a Chance to Start Next Season?
The Raiders clearly made a mistake by choosing Minshew over Aidan O’Connell as the starter. While the latter wasn’t great this season, he did throw eight touchdowns to four interceptions. He was also banged up for much of the season.
Had he been named the Week 1 starter and stayed relatively healthy, he may have had much better numbers. O’Connell isn’t a franchise quarterback but he’s shown some signs that he can at least be a high-end stopgap option for Carroll.
O’Connell isn’t mobile and isn’t going to make a ton of plays but he’s accurate and has a solid arm. Considering the free agent options at quarterback this offseason leaves a lot to be desired, the Raiders might be better off sticking with O’Connell and drafting a rookie. Unless Las Vegas takes a quarterback with a top-10 draft pick, O’Connell could be in the mix to be the Week 1 starter in 2025.
Raiders May Need to Be Patient
Every team wants a great quarterback and Carroll was quick to point out that it’s way easier to find one of the greats in theory than it is in practice. In reality, there are less than 10 truly elite quarterbacks in the NFL and some could argue there are only five or six.
The only thing worse than not having a quarterback is paying big money to one who might be good but isn’t elite. If the Raiders don’t like their options this offseason, they’re better off waiting than giving a huge contract to Sam Darnold or trading multiple draft picks to move up and take Shedeur Sanders.
That said, the Raiders aren’t going anywhere until they find the right quarterback so they have to feel good about their chances of finding one next year if they decide to go with a Band-Aid option in 2025.
