The Raiders have a straightforward deadline decision in front of them by Sunday at 6:00 EST, but Aidan O’Connell has given himself a real chance to stick around.
A few months ago, it looked like O’Connell might be on the way out. Now, with Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza in the quarterback room, the better bet is that Las Vegas keeps him as the third option.
One big reason is Mendoza’s readiness, or lack of it. Matt Millen said last week that the rookie still needs time to settle into Klint Kubiak’s offense and adjust to the NFL game, and that has only become more obvious over the last two preseason games.
“I’m going to be completely straight with you, the young quarterback is not ready yet,” Millen said on Thursday’s pre-game show with Q Myers and Lincoln Kennedy. “You can see him making steps.
Every now and then a [Dan] Marino comes around or somebody like that. Just like, ‘What the heck is he doing?
He’s not supposed to do that.’ But it usually takes about three years to learn this league.”
The timing matters here, too. On Saturday, said the Raiders had already decided to start Kirk Cousins even before they drafted Mendoza, and that changes how the team has to think about its quarterback depth. If Cousins were to get hurt early, Las Vegas would not want to be forced into speeding up Mendoza’s development before the club is ready.
That gives O’Connell added value. Keeping him on the roster lets the Raiders control Mendoza’s timeline instead of being pushed into an emergency situation if Cousins misses time in the first couple of games.
There’s another layer to this as well: Cousins himself could become a trade chip. If a contending team loses its quarterback during the season, Cousins would be one of the more attractive veteran options available before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
That possibility only matters if the Raiders have enough depth to keep their own operation stable. If they don’t think Mendoza will be ready to start by November, they can’t really entertain a Cousins deal without another quarterback in place.
And then there’s the simplest reason of all: the staff appears to like O’Connell. There’s still a path for him to become Mendoza’s long-term backup, even if he’s been linked to the idea of finding a team where he has a real shot to start.
If O’Connell survives Sunday’s cuts, don’t be surprised if he ends up spending another year or two in Las Vegas behind Mendoza.
In Other News...
Raiders Cut May Have Just Clarified Two Edge Rusher Battles
Roster cutdown day brought a little clarity to the Raiders edge-rusher picture, even if the bigger moves centered on other spots. Las Vegas released running back Dare Ogunbowale, traded offensive lineman Jordan Meredith to the New York Jets and waived defensive end Cian Slone, trimming the depth chart as the team sorted through its final roster decisions.
The move on Slone can be read as a vote of confidence in veteran Patrick Johnson, who has worked to carve out a role in the outside linebacker mix. It also hints that Keyron Crawfords injury may not be as serious as some feared, though the Raiders have not offered any official update on Crawfords status, leaving a little uncertainty in a spot where every available body matters. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Could Find A Sneaky Roster Upgrade When Cuts Begin
When the NFL gets to cutdown day on Aug. 30, the waiver wire can turn into a fast-moving marketplace for roster help, and the Raiders will be watching closely. More than 1,000 players are expected to be waived or released as teams trim down, which always creates a few surprises, and Las Vegas has plenty of reason to look for an inexpensive upgrade if a useful depth piece suddenly becomes available.
Several names could be in that mix, including Davis Allen, Darius Slayton, Christian Kirk, Kris Jenkins Jr., Rayshaun Benny and Cole Wisniewski. Not every cut becomes a fit, of course, but this is the part of roster season when teams can patch a weakness without waiting for a trade or a larger move, and the Raiders could find a sneaky addition if the right player shakes loose. [Read more 🡒]
John Spytek Keeps Finding Draft Value In Raiders Castoffs
The Raiders have spent this season using the trade market to clean up the edges of their roster and nudge a little draft capital back into the cupboard. First came the deal sending Geno Smith and a seventh-round pick to the Jets for a sixth-rounder, and now Jordan Meredith has followed the same path, along with a 2029 seventh, in exchange for a 2027 sixth. In both cases, Las Vegas moved on from players who were not expected to factor into its future plans while picking up a modest draft gain.
John Spyteks front office has made a habit of squeezing value out of pieces that no longer fit the long-term picture, and the latest move fits that pattern neatly. The Jets get depth, the Raiders get a small climb in the draft, and the transaction adds another reminder that roster churn does not always have to be dramatic to matter. The bigger question is how many more of these low-cost, low-drama swaps are still to come as Las Vegas keeps shaping the roster for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]