New Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce appears set to roll with Aidan O’Connell as his starting quarterback for Week 9, and an NFL scout tells the NFL Analysis Network that he thinks O’Connell will flourish under center.
“It sounds like Aidan is going to be the new starter in Vegas. Not only do I think he’ll seize the opportunity, but with a new coaching staff I believe he’ll be their long-term franchise quarterback,” the scout said. “He’s got special potential.”
O’Connell, who played his collegiate football at Purdue, was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round of the NFL Draft back in the spring.
He has made two appearances and one start already this season, going 34-for-52 with 313 yards and a couple of interceptions thus far.
Las Vegas fans have been clamoring for O’Connell ever since the youngster put forth an impressive performance in the preseason.
The Raiders signed Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year deal this past offseason, but Garoppolo has not exactly worked out for the club. In six starts, Garoppolo has thrown for 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns and a league-leading nine picks while completing 65.5 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 78.1.
Now that Josh McDaniels is out as head coach, a new dawn appears to be underway in Vegas that features Aidan O’Connell as the starting signal-caller.
Of course, it will be interesting to see what the Raiders do with Garoppolo. He still has a couple of years left on his deal, so trading him may be difficult. Las Vegas may ultimately be forced to cut bait with him after the season, especially if O’Connell works out.
The Raiders are 3-5 and will take on the struggling New York Giants this Sunday.
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