The Las Vegas Raiders signed Gardner Minshew in free agency this week to provide some quarterback competition for second-year signal-caller Aidan O’Connell.

Minshew spent the 2023 campaign with the Indianapolis Colts and was thrust into the starting role after a season-ending injury to Anthony Richardson, so he understands he always has to be ready.

This time, though, Minshew has a legitimate chance of winning the No. 1 job outright, and he spoke about that during his introductory press conference on Thursday.

“Excited to get in and compete with a team that I feel like has a chance to be really good,” Minshew said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “Played them at the end of the year last year, felt some of that momentum, some of that energy that was building, and anytime you have a chance to compete and win that’s all you can really look forward to.”

The Raiders went 8-9 in 2023 and began the year with Jimmy Garoppolo under center. However, O’Connell supplanted Garoppolo as the starter midway through the season.

O’Connell was not impressive enough to warrant being labeled the definitive starter moving forward, so Minshew is prepared to compete.

“It’s going to be competitive,” Minshew said. “I think they’re going to try to put together the best quarterback room they can. There’s no promises being made, I don’t want any guarantees, I just want a chance, and I’m excited for the chance I have here.”

Minshew threw for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 62.2 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 84.6 this past year.

He led the Colts to a 9-8 record, but the team just missed the playoffs.

We’ll see what Gardner Minshew can do in Las Vegas in 2024.

Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.