Aidan O’Connell may have done more than help the Raiders erase the Texans on Thursday night. He may have given Las Vegas a reason to think his name belongs in trade conversations before roster cuts.
The third-string quarterback took over in the third quarter and helped spark a late comeback in a 22-20 preseason win over Houston. O’Connell didn’t throw a touchdown pass, but he kept the offense moving and finished the night by punching in a Tush Push score to cap the rally.
That came after a rougher opening from rookie Fernando Mendoza, who went 8-of-15 for 86 yards and threw an interception that Texans rookie fourth-rounder Wade Woodaz returned for a touchdown. Mendoza’s outing under the ESPN lights will get plenty of attention, especially because of that late throw across the middle. But O’Connell’s performance created a different kind of buzz.
Last week against the Arizona Cardinals, O’Connell barely got much of a chance after Kirk Cousins and Mendoza. He entered early in the fourth quarter and directed three scoreless drives, with two ending on turnover on downs, while going 4-of-13 for 85 yards.
Against Houston, the picture looked different. He settled in, spread the ball around to receivers who are unlikely to make the 53-man roster, and helped produce three scoring drives in the second half.
Head coach Klint Kubiak did not name a starting quarterback after the game, though Cousins did not play, so he still appears to be lined up to start the regular-season opener against the Miami Dolphins.
Mendoza remains the long-term centerpiece, the franchise player who is expected to take over the offense down the road. That leaves O’Connell in an awkward spot.
The Raiders could keep him as the No. 3 quarterback on the 53-man roster. What they probably should not do is stash him on the practice squad, where another team could sign him if he were added to that club’s active roster.
There’s a case for why O’Connell would draw attention. He has thrown for 3,922 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 62% completion rate in 21 games.
For a quarterback who has dealt with constant coaching turnover, that’s a sturdy body of work. He has also delivered some of his best football in fill-in duty against division opponents.
His peak moments have been loud ones. In Week 15 of the 2023 season, he threw a career-high four touchdown passes against the Los Angeles Chargers.
In Week 13 of the 2024 season, he posted a career-high 340 yards and two touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs. Both of those games came under then-interim head coach Antonio Pierce in 2023 and with interim offensive coordinators.
Still, even with that résumé, O’Connell is expected to sit behind Cousins, who signed a fully guaranteed one-year, $11.3 million deal, per Over the Cap, and Mendoza, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
What Thursday may have done is remind the rest of the league that he can run a productive offense even with backup-level talent around him. That’s the kind of performance front offices notice.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Warren, "the door is open for the Raiders to move O'Connell."
O’Connell has already said he wants to be a starter. During mandatory minicamp, he told reporters exactly that.
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If Las Vegas decides to deal him, a fresh start could make sense for both sides. The Dolphins may want more stability behind Malik Willis after Quinn Ewers struggled in his first preseason game under a new regime, finishing 1-for-8 for 27 yards and an interception. The Falcons could also be in the market if Michael Penix Jr. is not fully cleared from offseason knee surgery.
If the Raiders move him, the return would likely be modest - a late-round pick before the August 30 roster cutdown deadline. But after Thursday night, O’Connell at least made sure his name won’t be ignored.
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