Najee Harris, Jack Conklin among veterans who could lose starting roles in 2024

There simply aren’t that many true quarterback battles around the NFL heading into camp, with the majority of competitions featuring bridge QBs trying to hold off rookies. In Las Vegas, though, we have a legit duel between two interesting but flawed quarterbacks: Minshew and Aidan O’Connell.

Now, Minshew is the newcomer to this equation as an offseason signee, and if he emerges as the starter, he’d actually be displacing O’Connell, who started 10 games for the Raiders as a rookie last season. But Minshew is still the more established veteran, and backing up O’Connell would mark a definite step down after he started 13 games (and earned a Pro Bowl nod) for the Colts in 2023. Not to mention, Vegas gave him pretty good money on a two-year, $25 million contract.

Minshew clearly has the stronger body of work as a pro, with 37 NFL starts over five seasons. He actually offers a decent floor, generally keeping his interceptions low, flashing some running ability and keeping plays alive with his never-quit approach. But that reads more like the template for a higher-quality backup than a full-season starter.

Sure, the Raiders could open with Minshew in the starting lineup and allow O’Connell the opportunity to win the job over the course of the season. But giving O’Connell a shot now feels like the smarter move. Head coach Antonio Pierce has said that O’Connell deserves a chance to start based on what he did in 2023. O’Connell stood out especially in his final six starts, when he threw for nine TDs, committed only one turnover and cut back on the sacks he took. If the 2023 fourth-round pick flames out in Year 2, so be it; the Raiders can always turn to Minshew then. But this is likely O’Connell’s one best shot at winning the job for the long haul, and the Raiders know they need to find out what he can do before potentially turning their attention to improving the QB position in the 2025 offseason.