After an abysmal year of quarterback play during the 2025 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders almost entirely re-tooled the position room this offseason. They shipped Geno Smith off to the New York Jets and let Kenny Pickett walk in free agency, leaving just one quarterback on the roster for months.
But the veteran addition of Kirk Cousins, followed by selecting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, meant that it was a new day under center for Las Vegas. And it pushed returner Aidan O'Connell, a polarizing player within the fanbase, way down the depth chart.
With only one year left on his contract, O'Connell's future with the Raiders was already hanging in the balance. But the front office took it a step further and signed two undrafted free agent quarterbacks, calling into question his livelihood for this season, and letting O'Connell know how they really feel.
Las Vegas Raiders push Aidan O'Connell to the brink with two UDFA QB signings
O'Connell was once a beacon of hope for fans, as he and the Antonio Pierce-coached Raiders went on a nice run at the end of the 2023 NFL season. He has performed very well in games at times, giving fans reason to believe that O'Connell could, at the very least, be a viable long-term backup.
But other fans point to his lack of mobility and inconsistency as major red flags in his game. This camp would argue that, if after three years he hasn't undoubtedly proven his worth, then the Silver and Black are better off finding a younger player or an upgrade. The opinion on him is truly split.
Perhaps not in the front office, however. Once the draft was complete on Saturday, Las Vegas got busy signing undrafted free agents, including Missouri State quarterback Jacob Clark and Baylor signal-caller Sawyer Robertson. And these players bring an element that O'Connell hasn't shown.
Both Clark and Robertson are 6-foot-4 or taller and have the ability to run. Clark ran 49 times for 211 yards and three scores last year, and Roberston had 35 rushes for 156 yards and three touchdowns. O'Connell is barely 6-foot-3 and has just 41 rushing yards and two touchdowns in his career.
It seems like Kubiak covets a quarterback who can at least move well or run when they have to, and O'Connell, for all his good qualities as a player, doesn't currently have that skill in his repertoire. That, ultimately, could be a deciding factor between a handful of depth pieces when roster cuts roll around.
Now, O'Connell has some legitimate starting experience and skins on the wall at the NFL level. Plus, undrafted free agents are always a long shot to make the roster. O'Connell could easily be the third-string quarterback, and the Raiders cut one of the UDFAs and put the other on the practice squad.
However, the fact that Las Vegas felt the need to go out and track down two heralded undrafted free agent quarterbacks could indicate that it is at least looking for a different potential long-term backup or another kind of practice squad/end-of-roster player under center.
Look, O'Connell has had some nice moments during his three-year stint with the Silver and Black. But the Tyree Wilson trade was a harsh reminder that those currently in power in the Raiders organization don't have much of an allegiance to players from previous regimes.
In the past, O'Connell has always been a survivor and proved fans wrong. Time and time again, no matter who counts him out, O'Connell seems to be in the mix and winds up playing important football at one juncture of the season or another.
With Mendoza and Cousins in town, though, those days are effectively over. And if Las Vegas wants new blood, or even just a cheaper third-string quarterback, they could look to offload O'Connell via trade or by releasing him. We may be getting ahead of ourselves, but that is certainly an option.
While all eyes will be on the Mendoza-Cousins battle for the starting job in training camp and the preseason, behind them will be three signal-callers vying for a roster spot or a job on the practice squad. Although he's the incumbent, O'Connell is going to be fighting for his livelihood this offseason.
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