Antonio Pierce: Aidan O’Connell has earned the right to compete for Raiders’ starting job

The Raiders have signed quarterback Gardner Minshew in free agency, and they may still draft a quarterback next month. But head coach Antonio Pierce says not to rule out Aidan O’Connell as the Raiders’ potential 2024 starter.

Pierce told Steve Wyche of NFL Network that whoever is in the quarterback room when training camp starts, O’Connell will be competing for the starting job.

“At the end of the day, listen, Aidan O’Connell played his ass off. He did a helluva job for us,” Pierce said. “You’re talking about a kid that has the mental toughness to play in the National Football League. Whatever happens and whatever we do it has to go through Aidan O’Connell. Being honest with you because he’s earned that right.”

As a fourth-round rookie who started last season as the third-stringer, O’Connell ended up starting 10 games and putting up comparable stats to Jimmy Garoppolo, who began the season as the starter. Minshew may prove to be an upgrade over O’Connell, or a rookie could come in and get handed the job, but right now Pierce wants O’Connell to know he has a chance to earn the title of QB1.