Raiders News: Antonio Pierce Reveals How Much Each QB Will Play In Preseason Opener

Corey Hansford
Corey Hansford
4 Min Read
Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (4) warms up against the Kansas City Chiefs prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The battle for the Las Vegas Raiders starting quarterback position has been going on throughout training camp and head coach Antonio Pierce has been tight-lipped about whether Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew has outshone the other.

But with the Raiders’ preseason opener coming up on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings, it will be an opportunity for everyone to see where they stand. And they will both have an equal opportunity to showcase.

Pierce revealed that both Minshew and O’Connell will play for one quarter in the team’s preseason opener via Raiders Newswire’s own Ryan Ward:

It is unclear who among the rest of the skill players will be taking the field and for how long and that is a factor in this game as well. Whoever starts the game could get more reps with the first team which conceivably could be an advantage, but Pierce and the Raiders staff will surely account for that as well.

Nonetheless, Pierce knows exactly what he is looking to see out of his two signal callers and opened up on that as well via Ward:

Minshew and O’Connell will surely go back and forth throughout the remainder of camp and preseason, but one thing that is for sure is that when Pierce makes his quarterback decision, that is who this team will go with, via Ward:

Getting this decision right is of the utmost importance for Pierce and the Raiders. Whether O’Connell or Minshew ultimately wins the job, they will be tasked with leading this team back into the postseason.

Raiders release first unofficial depth chart

The Raiders recently released the first unofficial depth chart of this season, with Pierce listing both Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew as the first-team quarterbacks. The battle is still ongoing.

The depth chart also listed Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers as starters at tight end, meaning the Raiders could be using two tight end sets as their base. Defensively, things are basically exactly as they were last year, with top free agent signing Christian Wilkins being the only new face amongst the first-team defense.

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Corey Hansford is the Senior Editor for Lakers Nation, as well as a contributor for Dodger Blue, Rams News Wire, and Raiders News Wire. He is a passionate follower of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chelsea FC, and the UFC. He can usually be seen arguing the merits of Kobe Bryant or cursing the decisions of Jerry Jones. He is also a former producer and associate producer for Sirius XM Sports Radio on both the Fantasy Sports Channel and College Sports Nation. Proud graduate of Long Beach Poly High School and The Real HU, Howard University, with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Follow him on all social media outlets at @TheeCoreyH.