Raiders Bench Gardner Minshew For Aidan O’Connell

The Las Vegas Raiders made the decision to bench QB Gardner Minshew on Sunday in favor of Aidan O’Connell following another interception. 

Raiders HC Antonio Pierce has been asked multiple times about possibly making a change at quarterback, but he has resisted moving on from Minshew up to this point. 

Minshew, 28, is a former sixth-round pick of the Jaguars out of Washington State back in 2019. He signed a four-year rookie deal worth $2.7 million and made a base salary of $2,540,000 for the 2021 season. 

The Jaguars traded Minshew to the Eagles coming out of the preseason in 2021 in exchange for a sixth-round pick. He signed on with the Colts for the 2023 season before signing a two-year, $25 million deal with the Raiders back in March to compete for their starting job.

Entering today’s game, Minshew had appeared in four games for the Raiders and completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 877 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

O’Connell, 25, was a three-year starter at Purdue and was named second-team All-Big 10 in his final two seasons. He was drafted by the Raiders with the No. 135 pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. 

He signed a four-year, $3.84 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $509,380. 

In 2023, O’Connell appeared in 11 games for the Raiders and posted a record of 5-5. He completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,218 yards,12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions to go along with 11 yards rushing and a touchdown.

In 2024, O’Connell has appeared in one game for the Raiders and completed nine of his 12 pass attempts for 82 yards and one touchdown.

We will have more news on the Raiders quarterback situation as it becomes available.