Are Trade Conversations around the Raiders No. 2 Quarterback About to Circle Back Again?

After Thursday’s preseason game in Seattle, the Raiders look to have a big decision coming on sixth-round pick Cam Miller as it’s starting to feel like the rookie quarterback could be closing the gap on Aidan O’Connell for the no. 2 spot on the Raiders’ depth chart.

O’Connell was not sharp on Thursday, and it’s fair to wonder if the coaching staff might soon have enough confidence in Miller to consider trading O’Connell.

According to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed, the Raiders were engaged in some level of trade conversations around O’Connell just a few months ago, so if Miller continues to pay well in the preseason, it’s possible those conversations could come around again.

“From what me and Vic [Tafur] have reported on this earlier this year… around the draft they were dangling Aidan, even before Cam Miller got here, they were dangling [Aidan O’Connell] in trade conversations,” Reed said on the Just Win Podcast.

“So they’re definitely not tethered to [O’Connell] or anything of that nature. So yeah, we’ll see. It’s only one preseason game. Nothing to overreact about, but if he keeps stinking it up like he’s been stinking it up, it’s going to become a conversation.”

One thing to remember with O’Connell, though, is that it’s reported he has been having a good training camp. One bad preseason game isn’t going to erase a solid two weeks of practice, but the third-year quarterback from Purdue could certainly use a better performance against the 49ers on Saturday.

As for Miller, it’s hard to imagine the Raiders are going to try to sneak him onto the practice squad, and if Miller makes the final cut, will the Raiders prefer to have three quarterbacks on final roster… or two quarterbacks and modest trade return on O’Connell?