Head coach seems to prefer the ‘game manager’ under center
We’re about a week into training camp which means the first week of the Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback competition between Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew is in the books. While the team hasn’t had many practices yet, head coach Antonio Pierce was asked whether he prefers a quarterback who manages the game or one who takes risks to create explosive plays.
“We really want no mistakes at quarterback, right?,” Pierce replied. “I don’t want to live in that world. I’ll go back to my opening statement a couple of days ago, just being consistent. What that guy looks like on and off the field, how does our team respond to him? Does he put us in positions to have an opportunity to win games? And more importantly, we don’t need nobody to go out there and be a superhero.
“They understand that we have a lot of talented around us with the wide receiver position, tight end position, and obviously the running back position. Allow your weapons to make the plays and don’t force it. So, as it goes on, I’m not going to sit here and say exactly what I’m looking for because that doesn’t need to be said to the public. But our guys in the building know what they need to do.”
Presumptively, that answer favors O’Connell as he’s been given the ‘game manager’ label recently, and Minshew can be known as a bit of a wild card who likes to keep plays alive by leaving the pocket.
On a related note, Pierce also weighed in on what he’s seen from the two quarterbacks and how their reps will be divided throughout training camp.
“Yeah, what I see is two guys competing,” the head coach said. “I told them it’s time to make that leap. Stop with the baby steps, somebody grab the bull by the horns and be the guy, and they’re trying to do that. So, the competition is high. We’re going to alternate, that’s what you’re going to see every day.
“Aidan will go first, Gardner will go second, however that goes, and we’ll switch it up. I think the key part about it is regardless of who’s in, the offense is trying to be as efficient and as effective as possible. So, you got the offensive line in there with those guys and you’re trying to build that continuity with our wide receivers, and I think both quarterbacks are doing it.”
In Other Raiders’ Links:
- Training camp predictions: “While I do believe O’Connell will emerge as QB1 for the Raiders, it’s difficult for me to envision him coming out like gangbusters and becoming a difference-maker in Year 2,” Silver and Black Pride’s Ray Aspuria wrote.
- Can Marquan McCall make the team?: “John Jenkins currently fills the starting role at that spot, but Marquan McCall is the team’s only true backup for the 35-year-old as things stand,” a film breakdown on the nose tackle option via S&BP.
- 3 Observations from the 1st week of camp: “The club is impressed with Jakorian Bennett, a second-year cornerback from Maryland who is making big strides and turning the heads of the coaching staff and his teammates,” per The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore.
- Gareon Conley retires: the 2017 first-round pick played in the UFL this spring and signed with the Cowboys last month, but told Dallas he’s retiring on Sunday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.