Aidan O'Connell has started 20 games for the Las Vegas Raiders under center over the past two seasons. The fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has been anything but consistent as he has thrown for 3,830 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 62.6% of his passes.
While he has looked the part of a future franchise quarterback at times, there have been other moments where he doesn't even look like an NFL-caliber player. His inconsistency led Las Vegas to acquire Gardner Minshew last year before trading for Geno Smith this offseason.
O'Connell's struggles have been on full display over the Raiders' first two preseason games. Las Vegas head coach Pete Carroll weighed in on his play, noting that the offense does not play as quickly when he is under center.
Raiders HC Pete Carroll discusses Aidan O'Connell's preseason Week 2 performance
Carroll has not been shy about assessing players honestly when speaking with the media since taking over in Las Vegas. That was the case again on Sunday when he discussed O'Connell's performance in the preseason.
"Geno was on the money. He was right on everything. Tempo was good. I thought Aidan continued to a little bit, (but) we're not quite as fast when he's playing. We don't play as quick from huddle to the snap, still trying to work that out," Carroll said. "And he made a poor choice on the throw for the pick. Unfortunately, it was at a crucial time. That was tough. Just the guy was covered, and if he had to throw it away or take off, we would have preferred that."
O'Connell has struggled tremendously over Las Vegas' first two preseason matchups. He has thrown for 343 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions while completing just 62.4% of his pass attempts against exclusively backup defenders.
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While sixth-round rookie Cam Miller has drawn some positive reviews, O'Connell does not appear to be in danger of losing his role as a backup. There have been suggestions that the Raiders should part ways with the third-year quarterback; however, that seems unlikely due to Miller's lack of experience.
Despite his preseason struggles, O'Connell does have plenty of NFL experience for a player drafted on Day 3 just two years ago with low expectations. Although he has consistently said the right things, there was never a clear path for him to compete for a starting job following the acquisition of Smith.
While the franchise allowed him to take over for Jimmy Garoppolo in 2023 and Minshew last season, that is unlikely to be the case with Smith as the Raiders' new franchise quarterback. Instead, O'Connell will resume his role as a backup as he looks to continue his development.