aidan oconnell
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Las Vegas Raiders QB Aidan O'Connell.
The Las Vegas Raiders have struck a deal to bring veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to the team. This isn’t a surprise, as the Raiders have made it clear that they don’t feel comfortable going into 2026 with a rookie as the starter.
Prior to the signing, Aidan O’Connell was the only quarterback on the roster. He’s perhaps the biggest loser following the Cousins addition. This could effectively end his tenure with the Raiders.
The team is likely to use the No. 1 pick on Fernando Mendoza in the coming weeks, which means it’ll be the Mendoza and Cousins show going forward. That leaves O’Connell as the odd man out.
It’s possible that the Raiders decide to keep him in training camp, but there’s also a chance that he’s let go in the near future. O’Connell originally joined the team as a fourth-round pick in 2023.
He started 10 games as a rookie and then seven games in his second season. The Raiders decided against having him start any games last season. O’Connell hasn’t been terrible when he’s played. He’s thrown 20 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in his career, but the Raiders haven’t wanted to give him a chance to be the guy. With Cousins in and Mendoza likely following, his tenure in Las Vegas is almost certainly over.
What Will Raiders Do With O’Connell?
The Raiders clearly don’t see a future in Las Vegas for O’Connell, but it’s notable he’s still on the roster. It would cost the team almost nothing to cut him outright.
Perhaps they think they can find a trade partner for him. At the very least, he’s a serviceable backup. Not a lot of backup quarterbacks have had the chance to start in 17 games. Even a late-round pick swap would be better for the Raiders than cutting him.
The Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots could make sense as suitors. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was the Raiders’ head coach when O’Connell was drafted, and Titans assistant general manager Dave Ziegler was the one who drafted him.
It’s a long shot, but the Raiders could even consider keeping him. Even a third-string quarterback can have value.
Raiders Well-Represented at Mendoza’s Pro Day
The Raiders can’t make anything official yet, but it looks like the team selecting Mendoza with the No. 1 pick is merely a formality. Indiana just held its pro day, and the team showed up in full force to watch him.
“Quarterback Fernando Mendoza dazzled the Las Vegas Raiders’ contingent of decision-makers Wednesday during Indiana’s pro day inside the John Mellencamp Pavilion, as the Heisman Trophy winner continued to pad his lead in the race to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft,” The Athletic’s Jeff Howe wrote. “General manager John Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak headlined a group of about 10 members of the Raiders organization who attended the workout and met with Mendoza afterward.”
The Raiders seem to be turning over every stone to make sure he’s the guy, but it doesn’t appear they have seen anything that would scare them off of drafting him.