As NFL free agency began, the Las Vegas Raiders’ only quarterback on the roster was second-year man Aidan O’Connell. But the franchise quickly corrected that by signing veteran Gardner Minshew II to a two-year deal.
Regardless of who is brought in, however, head coach Pierce has made it clear that O’Connell has earned the right to compete for the starting spot due to his promising play when taking over as starter last year. Pierce is also a fan of what Minshew brings.
In a recent interview, Pierce called Minshew a ‘wild boy’ while noting that the veteran has proven that he can get things done regardless of the circumstances, via Matthew Schmidt of Yardbarker:
“Aidan did a hell of a job last year, but like any other position on our team, we want to make that as competitive as possible,” Pierce said via the Raiders’ official YouTube account. “One thing about Gardner, as you’ve seen throughout his career, he finds a way. That’s going to make our room better. He’s been through a lot of adversity. You want that experience, as well, in there. So, to me, it was a good fit. It’s a culture fit. That’s a wild boy right there.”
Minshew and his hard work undoubtedly fit the kind of culture Pierce is looking to build within the Raiders organization and, as Pierce pointed out. Additionally, a healthy competition is almost always a good thing and will give the team and staff more time to evaluate what each player brings to the table.
Last season with the Indianapolis Colts, Minshew had his longest run as the top guy, ultimately starting 13 games, posting a winning record, and throwing for 3,305 yards and 15 touchdowns. Minshew, O’Connell, and whoever the Raiders bring in through the draft will have a serious competition to decide who will be under center on opening night.
Antonio Pierce: Raiders don’t wanna put ‘band-aid’ on quarterback position
One thing that everyone seems to be on the same page about is the fact that the Raiders aren’t looking for a temporary stopgap at quarterback but rather want to find the player who will lead the team for years to come.
Head coach Antonio Pierce re-iterated this statement in a recent interview, noting that he hopes whoever the team drafts becomes the full-time starter while adding that he doesn’t want to put a band-aid on that position. Pierce believes the fans have seen that enough times already and now it is time for the Raiders to find their guy and stick with him through his development.
