Raiders Signs Former $700 Million Ravens QB Into Team Having Known That…

With a four-touchdown performance against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15, Aidan O’Connell has most likely cemented himself as the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders for the remainder of the season. Jimmy Garoppolo is among the NFL’s best backup quarterbacks, despite his lackluster performance as a starter.

Despite the fact that the Raiders have good depth at the position, they are looking into adding another quarterback. According to the December 19 NFL transaction wire, Las Vegas brought in former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Anthony Brown for a workout.

Brown was an undrafted free agent signing of the Ravens in 2022 after being the starter for the Oregon Ducks in 2021. He was forced to start a game for Baltimore last season due to injuries to Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. He threw for 302 yards and two intercpetions in two games for the Ravens.

After training camp, Brown was let go by Baltimore, where he had spent the offseason. This season, he has failed to make a roster. Given that Brown is only 25, the Raiders may wish to add more youth to the quarterback room. It’s highly likely that he will join the practice squad if he gets signed. Alternatively, the team may elect to add him after the season to see what he can accomplish in the off-season.

Aidan O’Connell Named ‘Offensive Player of the Week’

It’s been an up-and-down season for Aidan O’Connell. The rookie fourth-round pick wasn’t expected to start considering the Raiders gave a three-year contract to Jimmy Garoppolo prior to the season. O’Connell was thrust into the starting position following head coach Josh McDaniels getting fired.

In Week 14, O’Connell led an offense that scored zero points against the Minnesota Vikings and there were questions about whether or not he would get benched. He responded by having the best game of his career against the Chargers.

For that, NBC Sports’ Peter King named O’Connell “Offensive Player of the Week.”

In a column published on December 18, King stated, “O’Connell could play in the league for 15 years and not have a 20-minute stretch like he had Thursday night in the last 20 of the first half.” “O’Connell led Vegas to a 42-0 halftime lead with touchdown passes of 30, 22, 11, and 20 yards, occasionally coming across Charger players who genuinely tried.” He finished the 63-21 victory over Los Angeles with 248 passing yards and a 120.7 rating.

Can Aidan O’Connell Be a Starter in 2024?

It’s going to take more than an impressive game against a bad Chargers defense for the Raiders to commit to Aidan O’Connell going forward. While he’s proven that he’s accurate and a good pocket passer, his lack of mobility is a real concern. The modern NFL favors quarterbacks who can make plays with their legs.

With three games remaining in the season, O’Connell can demonstrate his ability to play in the NFL as a starter. The only way O’Connell can quell the rumors that the Raiders will be heavily linked to quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft is to perform exceptionally well for the remainder of the season. The Raiders will probably assess the position even in that case. O’Connell has a lot more work to do before the Raiders can consider him a reliable long-term starter, but he can undoubtedly be a very good backup in the NFL.