The quarterback position for the Las Vegas Raiders continues to be examined to the point of ad nauseam. Still, there's a reason for that, and it shouldn't excite Raider Nation.
Raiders fans amped themselves so much after last season that the fall from grace was a swift one. The fall we're referring to was when reality set in—the fact that general manager Tom Telesco was settling for Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II as his quarterback tandem in 2024. Well, considering how bad things were last season with Jimmy Garoppolo, it could be much worse.
Just because it's not as bad as before doesn't mean it's necessarily a good thing.
If you're in Telesco's shoes, there likely wasn't much he could do other than watch how things played out. None of the teams with the top three picks this year were going to trade back—not when they were starving for a quarterback. Even Bo Nix came off the board at No. 12. That's right, Bo Nix. Telesco's saving grace was that Georgia's Brock Bowers fell into his lap. All things considered, it was not a bad haul—Bowers forecasts as a generational talent who can do it all.
The caveat with Bowers is that while adding him to a roster featuring Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Michael Mayer appears menacing, who's going to get them the ball? Just as Antonio Pierce was handed the reins on a permanent basis, his debut season will be hampered by the quarterback position.
Raiders fans witnessed Patrick Graham's defense rise to near-elite levels last season. If not, at least they were in the conversation. In 2024, Pierce (and the fans) will be banking that this resumes out of the gate. Though the defense may play well, the Raiders will start each game at a disadvantage. Neither O'Connell nor Minshew are quarterbacks that necessarily strike fear into any defensive coordinator.
Another aspect that's working against Pierce and his squad is the state of the AFC West. Sure, we can all agree that the Denver Broncos are in full rebuild mode, as they're likely to trot out Nix in Week 1. Taking into account that the Raiders will field last year's defensive group plus Christian Wilkins, third place in the West is the worst-case scenario.
Looking down at the Raiders, you have the Kansas City Chiefs, who look to complete a "three-peat" of Super Bowl wins led by Patrick Mahomes. You also have to account for Jim Harbaugh taking over the Los Angeles Chargers, pairing himself with Pro Bowl signal-caller Justin Herbert. If you remove your fandom for a moment, the Raiders appear to be in the middle of the pack in the division.
All things being equal, either O'Connell or Minshew will have a chance to prove the doubters wrong. And in this offseason, there's been many of them. However, there is still hope. As long as either O'Connell or Minshew avoid costly turnovers, there's reason for optimism. New offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will maximize the tight end duo, and you must also take into account the run game. With Zamir White bulking up, he's starving for an opportunity.
With all of this said, the defense will determine how 2024 plays out for the Raiders. Looking at the Raiders' quarterbacks, maybe all they have to do is stay out of the way.