It seems relatively safe to say that Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce is not exactly married to the idea of Aidan O’Connell as the team’s starting quarterback heading into 2024.

During a recent appearance on The Pivot Podcast, Pierce said that the quarterback position is something that the Raiders need to address this offseason.

“The wild card is the quarterback … we’ve got to put a plan together,” Pierce said. “Everybody has a price. There’s always a price. … You can create a little doubt there, a little interest, as far as if they’re willing to make that move. Well, what if it’s not through the draft? Then we’ve got to go through free agency.”

So, basically, Pierce does not currently view O’Connell as the starter for next season. At least not if Las Vegas expects to seriously contend.

That being said, Pierce was sure to give O’Connell some props a bit later on.

“Let’s go worst-case scenario, which is what you’re going off of, we’re going with Aidan O’Connell – we won five games with him,” Pierce said. “What happens if we give this kid a full offseason like we’re giving the head coach, an opportunity to grow and learn? Because he played his (expletive) off the last five games. He played better than a lot of guys who were drafted in rounds one, two and three.”

While Pierce did compliment O’Connell, he did call him the “worst-case scenario,” meaning that Pierce obviously envisions a much different player under center for the Raiders come Week 1.

But it’s true: O’Connell did play very well down the stretch, totaling eight touchdowns and no interceptions over his last four games.

In 11 games and 10 starts overall in 2023, O’Connell threw for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven picks while completing 62.1 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 83.9.

O’Connell supplanted Jimmy Garoppolo as the starter midway through the season.

Antonio Pierce and the Raiders should have some other options at quarterback in the coming weeks and months, but whether or not they find anyone intriguing enough to move away from O’Connell remains to be seen.

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