In 2023, the Las Vegas Raiders began the season with Josh McDaniels as their head coach. After a rough start, the team decided to part ways with McDaniels. Team owner Mark Davis named Antonio Pierce as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2023 season. The Raiders finished the season with a 5-4 record under Pierce.
The Las Vegas players bought into Pierce’s game plan and he was a solid choice for head coach. Mark Davis hired Antonio Pierce as the Raiders’ full-time head coach this offseason. Speaking to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Pierce gave a candid assessment of what their offense will look like in 2024. He knows the team won’t be as explosive as other teams in the NFL.
Antonio Pierce didn’t sound optimistic about the Raiders’ offense in 2024.
Raiders’ Antonio Pierce is brutally honest about offensive potential amid the QB competition. https://t.co/qRIk7NRsVb
— Oz911 (@odds911) August 9, 2024
This offseason, the team lost RB Josh Jacobs to the Green Bay Packers in free agency, which left Jamir White as the starting RB. Worse, the team was left with two QBs who were seriously lacking. Experienced QB Gardner Minshew joined the team this offseason. He will compete with 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell out of Purdue. Minshew was a member of the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 and ended up starting in 13 games. Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, and Minshew’s 13 starts were the most of his career in a single season. He finished with 3,305 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Minshew threw for 21 touchdowns during his rookie season with the Jaguars.
There’s also second-year QB Aidan O’Connell, who made 10 starts for the Raiders in 2023. Jimmy Garoppolo started the season as QB for Las Vegas, and the team eventually switched to O’Connell. He started the final nine games of the season after veteran QB Brian Hoyer got the chance to start in Week 7. In his rookie season, O’Connell threw for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The 25-year-old went 5-5 in 10 starts. The team’s first unofficial depth chart this summer listed Gardner Minshew as the starting QB. Could Aidan O’Connell have a chance to unseat Minshew through preseason play?
