Aidan O'Connell lost his shot at the starting quarterback job for the Las Vegas Raiders the day the franchise traded a third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for Geno Smith.
And if the door to O'Connell's ascension remained cracked even a fraction following that transaction, the Raiders slammed it shut with a $75 million extension that locks up the 34-year-old Smith through the 2027 campaign.
Now, based on reporting from Vic Tafur The Athletic and a prediction from Moe Moton of Bleacher Report, O'Connell could see his tenure in Las Vegas end completely at some point during the fast-approaching NFL draft, which will be held between April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Essentially, the concept is that the Raiders will deal O'Connell during the proceedings and replace him on Day 2 with either Jalen Milroe of Alabama or Quinn Ewers of Texas. Both quarterbacks recently earned the spotlight of college football's top platform, with Milroe competing in the College Football Playoff in 2023 and Ewers playing in the CFP last year.
"In two seasons, O'Connell has played well as a fill-in starter, throwing for 3,830 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 62.6 percent completion rate," Moton wrote on Wednesday, April 16. "However, the Raiders have a mostly new coaching staff led by lead skipper Pete Carroll. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly may want a more athletic quarterback room, which would jeopardize O'Connell's roster spot."
O'Connell was a fourth-round pick two years ago and still has two seasons remaining on his $4.35 million contract. Given his level of play since joining the NFL and his general inexpensiveness, the Raiders shouldn't have much trouble finding a taker if they decide to trade O'Connell. However, his return isn't likely to be anything better than a Day 3 draft selection.
