Insider Reveals if Raiders Will Cut QB Aidan O’Connell

After a couple of years of uncertainty at quarterback, the Las Vegas Raiders have committed to Geno Smith for at least two seasons. Aidan O’Connell has started 17 games for the team across the last two years despite not being the Week 1 starter either season.

Barring injury, he shouldn’t start going forward with Smith at the helm. That has led to there being some questions about his status with the team. The Athletic even reported that O’Connell could’ve been traded during draft weekend.

While a trade could be possible, it sounds like cutting O’Connell isn’t an option, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“It would be a surprise if the quarterback wasn’t on the roster,” Bonsignore wrote when asked if the Raiders could release O’Connell in a recent mailbag.

“The Raiders’ most significant move this offseason was trading for veteran quarterback Geno Smith, who is reuniting with Raiders coach Pete Carroll, his former coach in Seattle. Upon trading for him, the Raiders extended his contract by two years, a clear signal that he is their starter for the foreseeable future.”

Backup quarterbacks are the most important they’ve ever been, and having one with starting experience is valuable for a team like the Raiders.

Raiders Draft Helps O’Connell

The Raiders were getting linked to top quarterback prospects ahead of the draft. They even had nine chances to add Shedeur Sanders, but decided against it.

Las Vegas didn’t select a quarterback until the sixth round when they took North Dakota State’s Cam Miller. Considering Miller’s lack of experience against high-level competition, Bonsignore thinks that O’Connell has to be the favorite to be the Raiders’ backup quarterback this season.

“The Raiders also waited until the sixth round of the NFL draft to select a quarterback — North Dakota State’s Cam Miller — which likely means O’Connell will be the club’s No. 2 quarterback behind Smith,” Bonsignore wrote.

“It’s a role O’Connell feels perfectly built to play. He’s got 17 NFL starts under his belt and has shown he can be counted on to be ready and produce either on short notice during a game or as a spot starter for multiple games.”

What If Miller Outplays O’Connell?

O’Connell is certainly the favorite to be Smith’s backup this season. He’s got starting experience and played well in spurts for the Raiders.

The only thing that could throw a wrench in his plans is if Miller looks better than him in training camp.

“As a backup, a team could do far worse than O’Connell, who is still on his rookie contract and represents excellent value for his role,” Bonsignore wrote.

“Could Miller beat him out for that job? Sure, it’s possible. But that does not seem likely.”

Miller is very much a project for the Raiders and likely won’t see the field as a rookie unless there are multiple injuries. O’Connell is a high-end backup on a rookie deal. There’s no reason for the Raiders to move on from him now unless Miller looks significantly better than him.