Does Aidan O'Connell have a chance to be 2024 starter?

Raiders HC Antonio Pierce said from the Combine that the team's starting QB job is Aidan O'Connell's to lose, per Levi Edwards of the team's official website. With QB Jimmy Garoppolo expected to be released within the next couple of weeks and Brian Hoyer the only other QB on the roster, we wouldn't expect Pierce to say anything different. O'Connell was just ok as a fourth-round rookie last year, completing 62.1% of his passes at 6.5 yards per attempt with 12 TDs vs. seven INTs. He ranked 23rd among 30 qualifying QBs in Pro Football Focus' passing grades. We fully expect the Raiders to make a relatively significant addition at QB this offseason -- potentially a trade for QB Justin Fields or a drafting a first-round rookie. We're betting against O'Connell leading Vegas in 2024 passing attempts and wouldn't target him in early best-ball drafts.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore tweets that the Raiders are "leaning toward" starting QB Aidan O'Connell vs. the Giants this weekend. QB Jimmy Garoppolo was a disaster in Monday night's loss to the Lions, throwing for just 126 yards, 0 TDs, and one INT on 21 attempts. O'Connell wasn't great in his Week 4 start vs. the Chargers, averaging 6.1 yards per pass attempt with 0 TDs and one INT. But the 3-5 Raiders under interim HC Antonio Pierce are looking beyond 2023 at this point. We'll look for further updates on the Raiders' QB plans. We certainly wouldn't consider O'Connell an upgrade for Raiders pass catchers.

Update: NFL Network reports the Raiders are expected to start O'Connell "this week and going forward." We'll see how this trial goes.

The Raiders will start rookie QB Aidan O'Connell over QB Brian Hoyer vs. the Chargers today, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. O'Connell got the "majority" of the practice reps by the end of the week, per Schefter. O'Connell finished his four-year career at Purdue with a 66.7% completion rate, 7.4 yards per attempt, and 65 TDs vs. 30 INTs. He went in the fourth round of this spring's draft but was a preseason standout, completing 69.4% of his passes for 482 yards, three TDs, and 0 INTs. He ranked second among 68 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus passing grade. O'Connell is obviously a major question mark heading into his first regular-season start. But he at least brings more upside than the 37-year-old Hoyer.