Raiders report: O’Connell was ‘hoping for better news’ in QB battle
Aidan O’Connell hoped he would get good news when he talked to Raiders coach Antonio Pierce over the weekend about who had come out as the winner in an offseason-long quarterback competition.
Instead, he found out he would enter the season as Gardner Minshew’s backup.
“Obviously tough,” O’Connell said Tuesday night of learning his fate. “I was hoping for better news, but that’s how it goes. So I’ll just keep battling and try to put my best foot forward every day.”
O’Connell ended last season as the starting quarterback for the final nine games, going 5-4.
He hoped he would be able to hold off Minshew and retain the job, but O’Connell declined to put the blame on anyone but himself.
“I could have definitely had a better camp and preseason,” he said after Tuesday night’s practice at Allegiant Stadium. “Now it’s just about trying to learn and grow from it.
“I’ll just try to prepare every day like I’m the starter. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s what I’m going to try to do. I know what it takes to play. I got the great experience of playing last year, so I’ll just try to support Gardner and be ready to go.”
O’Connell knows the reality of the league is that his number could be called at any time. He started last year as the third-stringer and also served as a backup before getting a promotion to starter midway through his rookie season.
O’Connell, who will turn 26 before the regular season begins, said he has been able to take something from every step in the process in his young career.
He expects this to be no different.
“I think really just trying to master the offense is a big thing for me,” he said. “Obviously with a new offense, speeding up reads and my tempo while also knowing when to slow down and just have a good process on each play.”
What he can’t do is dwell too much on any one play or series throughout the quarterback competition and play the what-if game. That includes the interception he had returned for a touchdown on his final attempt of the preseason Saturday night against the Cowboys.
“There’s a lot plays, both good and bad that we’ve run since we reported for camp and even back to OTAs,” he said. “You just try to bank them and keep moving forward. The best teacher is experience, and to be able to have those experiences are always helpful.”
Miller returns
The Raiders are one step closer to having their offensive line at full strength.
Starting left tackle Kolton Miller passed his physical and was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list Tuesday.
T Kolton Miller has passed his physical and is off the PUP list pic.twitter.com/AvUvVqEuA8
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 20, 2024
Miller, who is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, practiced with his teammates for the first time since training camp began hours later Tuesday. He has less than three weeks to get ready before the Raiders’ season opener against the Chargers on Sept. 8.
Miller played 13 games last year, making 11 starts as he battled his shoulder injury. He underwent a procedure after the season.
The 28-year-old has started 90 of the 92 games he has played for the Raiders since being selected in the first round of the 2018 draft.
Rookie second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson returned to practice last week and is trying to stake his claim on the starting left guard spot.
More updates
Star wide receiver Davante Adams and rookie tight end Brock Bowers sat out Saturday’s game with what were categorized as minor injuries.
Adams was back on the practice field Tuesday, but Bowers remained sidelined.
Cornerback Nate Hobbs and defensive end Malcolm Koonce briefly left practice to receive medical attention from the athletic trainers with what appeared to be lower-body injuries, but both returned to the session.
Undrafted rookie free agent cornerback Woo Governor was not as fortunate. He went into the blue medical tent and emerged several minutes later with trainers who escorted him back to the locker room.
Play of the day
Star defensive end Maxx Crosby took off one snap in the middle of practice after taking an awkward step on one rep.
He was clearly unfazed.
Crosby returned after one play and knocked down a Minshew pass at the line of scrimmage, changing directions and sprinting to track it down in the backfield. Crosby made a diving catch before springing to his feet and taking it about 70 yards for a touchdown.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.