Aidan O’Connell possibly facing unknown future with Raiders

When the Las Vegas Raiders traded for quarterback Geno Smith and signed him to a two-year contract extension, the initial expectation was for Aidan O’Connell to back him up while a developmental option waited in the wings.

However, it appears as though that may not be the case. On Friday, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur brought up the possibility of O’Connell being on the trade block.

“Still, bringing in a young quarterback to learn behind Smith makes sense (and we think the Raiders might trade Aidan O’Connell on draft weekend),” Tafur wrote. “New minority owner Tom Brady likes the idea of rookie quarterbacks sitting and soaking it all in, and there are some interesting options even in what is a down year in the draft for QBs.”

Mentioning O’Connell as a trade asset opens up a new question for the Raiders, leaving to a serious discussion about what the best course of action regarding the 2023 fourth-round pick is.

Moving on from O’Connell has a set of pros and cons worth weighing.

From the Raiders visiting several quarterback prospects over the course of the last month, it is plausible to believe that they are considering an O’Connell deal.

If the Raiders draft a quarterback on Day Two of the draft, that is a clear indication on who the team believes is their long-term answer at the position. O’Connell could have value as a failsafe if Smith gets injured but, if the Raiders consider their selection as ready enough to serve as an immediate backup, they could flip him for an extra pick to satisfy another need. A deal would only net the Raiders a Day Three selection, but O’Connell is unlikely to increase his future value sitting behind Smith, so that is no issue.

What is a more pressing concern, however, is how O’Connell’s absence severely drops the floor on the Raiders’ quarterback room.

O’Connell served as a backup option for the Raiders over the past two seasons, stepping in due to either injury or ineffectiveness of the incumbent starter. While he has not lit the world on fire across his 17 starts for Las Vegas, he at least does enough to keep the Raiders competitive should injuries strike again. There is no such security with a rookie backup, however, which could lead to the decision haunting the Raiders if they overestimate the readiness of whoever they draft.

An O’Connell trade comes with some merit, but the Raiders will have to decide if it is worth the risk.