While it’s looking increasingly unlikely the Las Vegas Raiders will have WR Davante Adams in their Week 6 lineup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s questionable who will be under center for them, too. During the Raiders’ Week 5 game against the Denver Broncos, head coach Antonio Pierce benched starter Gardner Minshew II for second-year QB Aidan O’Connell.
After the game, Pierce was asked if O’Connell will start Week 6.
“I don’t know,” Pierce said via the Raiders’ YouTube channel.
The change came after Minshew threw an interception to Broncos CB Riley Moss with the Raiders down 20-10. It was Minshew’s second pick of the day. Denver took advantage and found the end zone on its ensuing possession, pushing its lead to 17.
Minshew had completed 12-of-17 passes for 137 yards, one touchdown, and two picks before being yanked. He was also sacked twice. Even Minshew’s score came in dicey fashion, throwing a back-foot jump ball to rookie TE Brock Bowers, who made a great leaping catch and ran it in the rest of the way.
O’Connell finished the game, going 10-of-20 for 94 yards and an interception as Denver cruised to a 34-18 win. The Raiders are now 2-3 and sit in the AFC West’s basement.
After signing Minshew in the offseason, the Raiders held a quarterback competition this summer. Minshew beat out O’Connell in relatively easy fashion. But a better backup than full-time starter, he’s predictably struggled, completing a high clip of short throws but throwing three picks to three touchdowns through his first four games. Even in a Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns, Minshew completed under 60 percent of his passes for 130 yards and no touchdowns.
O’Connell was the Raiders’ fourth-round pick last year under the previous regime. He made 10 starts as a rookie, throwing 12 touchdowns to 7 interceptions as the team found its footing and finished 5-5 under O’Connell after the team briefly swapped between him and Brian Hoyer. The Raiders won three of their final four games of 2023, including putting up 62 points on the Los Angeles Chargers and upsetting the Kansas City Chiefs (though O’Connell only completed nine passes for 62 yards in the victory).
Now, it’s unclear who will face the Steelers next weekend. Minshew has started one game against the Steelers, beating them as a member of the Indianapolis Colts last season. He threw for 215 yards and three touchdowns in the win. O’Connell was inactive for the Raiders’ 2023 game against the Steelers, a 23-18 Pittsburgh win.
