The Las Vegas Raiders have an intriguing quarterback battle on their hands this offseason as Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew are battling it out. Minshew has been in the league longer as he has played for five seasons. He led the Indianapolis Colts last year, but he is now with the Raiders. O'Connell is entering his second season after playing in 12 games for Las Vegas last year.
So far, Raiders QB coach Rich Scangarello has been happy with how things have gone this offseason. Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew are making each other better.
“Been very pleased. I mean, it’s competitive,” Rich Scangarello said this week, according to an article from NBC Sports. “They’re both incredible, good personalities. They balance each other well. They’re different how they approach it, they’re different how they play, but their mindsets are similar. They’re bringing out the best in each other. We’ve thrown a lot at them and they’ve handled it well. But I feel like we got great opportunities for one of these guys to lead us to do some great things. And I think that both of them are capable, and the style of play is probably a little different with each, but it’s exciting and they both bring a lot to the table.”
O'Connell was put in a tough spot having to come in last year and handle the majority of the QB duties for the Raiders last season. Scangarello was impressed by how he handled that.
“Just watching from afar last year, I was incredibly impressed with how he handled the situation,” Scangarello added. “Both of the quarterbacks in the room with him last year, I had prior friendships and relationships with, and they were extremely impressed with them. So, as I’ve seen him up close, I just feel like the individual is everything you’d hoped he’d be. … He wants to be great. He’ll work at it. He’s selfless and he has a great deal of respect among the teammates, the coaching staff, and everyone in the building. So, I think to do that as a rookie thrown into how he was, I give him a lot of credit and says a lot about the individual, and without that it’s tough to be successful in this league, definitely to be great at the position. So, that’s exciting to work with.”
Gardner Minshew has ‘grit'
Gardner Minshew was picked in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has found a way to make a name for himself in the NFL, and Rich Scangarello is impressed by that.
“[Late picks] have incredible moxie and just like baller in him, and it takes that when you’re not 6-foot-4, [and don’t] have the biggest arm,” Scangarello said. “You have to have the mindset and the grit. He’s made of that stuff. And so that’s an important element to your team in any capacity. So, that’s exciting to see that happen with Gardner and so overall the group themselves, both of them, I’m excited how they’re playing off each other and I just think they’re going to make each other better.”
The Raiders seem to be happy with their options at QB. It's going to be interesting to see who ends up winning the starting job.
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