The Las Vegas Raiders are caught in a quarterback shuffle between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell, but whoever takes the reins is facing immediate pressure. Minshew initially claimed the starting role in the preseason, only to lose it in the third quarter of a Week 5 blowout loss to the Denver Broncos. O’Connell, who ended last season as the starter, is also raising doubts about how long he will hold onto the QB1 spot.
“Don’t get too optimistic about Aidan O’Connell, who is 1-for-6 with an interception and a 2.1 passer rating on deep throws,” Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report commented on October 11. “Gardner Minshew II’s time in Las Vegas may not be over.”
A more permanent quarterback solution might not arrive until the 2025 NFL Draft, potentially in the form of Cam Ward from Miami or Shedeur Sanders from Colorado. However, a short-term fix could emerge before the league’s November 5 trade deadline.
One of the top candidates for a trade is Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams. His team sits at 1-4 and is dealing with multiple injuries, and Stafford’s expensive $160 million contract gives the Rams little incentive to keep him if they’re out of contention for 2024.
“The Rams quarterback could very well be in his final season with the team, regardless of whether they turn around a 1-4 start,” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted on Saturday. “If the Rams could convert the rest of his 2024 deal into draft picks and allow Stafford a fresh start elsewhere, it’s worth considering.”
Acquiring Stafford might also convince the Raiders to hold onto star receiver Davante Adams, who has requested a trade and will miss his third straight game due to a hamstring injury. Stafford’s arrival could also elevate the play of wideout Jakobi Meyers and rising tight end Brock Bowers, making the 2-3 Raiders more competitive in both the AFC West and the broader conference.
The 36-year-old Stafford, who has amassed over 57,000 passing yards, 360 touchdowns, and 183 interceptions in his career, won a Super Bowl with the Rams after the 2021 season. Given his contract and the Rams’ need for quarterbacks to finish the season, sending Minshew to L.A. to join Jimmy Garoppolo as part of a trade package could make sense.
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