Silver And Black Pride
Aidan O’Connell the frontrunner to be QB2 behind starter Geno Smith
With Geno Smith as the unquestioned starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders, one of the biggest needs the Silver & Black had going into the inaugural tenure of general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll is remedied.
Las Vegas handing Smith a two-year contract extension with a max value of $85.5 million ($66.5 million guaranteed) showcases the commitment the team is making to their new QB1. While Carroll preaches open competition this summer for his Raiders, it’s difficult to see any signal caller displacing Smith as the starter.
And that’s a good thing.
For too long, the Silver & Black have stumbled mightily at the all-important position and heading into 2025 under a new regime, there won’t be a fugazi competition between two middling options who profile best as backups rather than long-term starters (see the 2024 quarterback battle that resulted in the former head coach regretting the outcome).
That said, let’s take a look at the depth behind Smith — specifically, who is QB2?
Third-year pro Aidan O’Connell is the favorite to backup Smith this coming season and potentially beyond. The 26-year-old (27 on September 1) has 1,068 snaps under his belt with 20 career touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 62.6 completion percentage in two seasons with the Raiders.
Playing in 20 games with 17 starts, the fourth-round pick (135th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft is the favorite to be the backup to Smith this coming season. O’Connell was part of the draft rumor mill with The Athletic postulating the third-year quarterback could be moved on draft weekend.
Ultimately, that wasn’t the case and O’Connell — who has two years remaining on his rookie contract (unrestricted free agent in 2027) — is one of four signal callers currently on the roster.
The hierarchy this offseason reads: Smith, O’Connell, Carter Bradley, and Cam Miller. The last name on the list was the lone addition the Raiders made to the quarterback room this offseason as Miller was selected in the sixth round (215th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. (Interestingly enough, Las Vegas selected Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott with the 213th pick, but he’s converting to wide receiver).
Standing 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, O’Connell has the pro experience edge over both Bradley and Miller, making him the favorite to be the backup quarterback at this juncture of the offseason. While his athletic profile makes for a stark contrast to Smith — I’ve dubbed O’Connell as Cement Shoes for his overall lack of scrambling ability — the difference between the two signal callers is a good test of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s ability to adjust his scheme.
Where the starter and expected backup are similar though is both have accurate arms that can drive the football.
While it’s difficult to foresee either Bradley or Miller overtaking O’Connell this coming season, an open competition can certainly bring forth change. Carroll is all too familiar with this during...
