Raiders roster: Fight for backup QB role to bring out best from the group

Aidan O’Connell the frontrunner to be QB2 behind starter Geno Smith

With Geno Smith as the unquestioned starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders, one of the biggest needs the Silver & Black had going into the inaugural tenure of general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll is remedied.

Las Vegas handing Smith a two-year contract extension with a max value of $85.5 million ($66.5 million guaranteed) showcases the commitment the team is making to their new QB1. While Carroll preaches open competition this summer for his Raiders, it’s difficult to see any signal caller displacing Smith as the starter.

And that’s a good thing.

For too long, the Silver & Black have stumbled mightily at the all-important position and heading into 2025 under a new regime, there won’t be a fugazi competition between two middling options who profile best as backups rather than long-term starters (see the 2024 quarterback battle that resulted in the former head coach regretting the outcome).

That said, let’s take a look at the depth behind Smith — specifically, who is QB2?

Third-year pro Aidan O’Connell is the favorite to backup Smith this coming season and potentially beyond. The 26-year-old (27 on September 1) has 1,068 snaps under his belt with 20 career touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 62.6 completion percentage in two seasons with the Raiders.

Playing in 20 games with 17 starts, the fourth-round pick (135th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft is the favorite to be the backup to Smith this coming season. O’Connell was part of the draft rumor mill with The Athletic postulating the third-year quarterback could be moved on draft weekend.

Ultimately, that wasn’t the case and O’Connell — who has two years remaining on his rookie contract (unrestricted free agent in 2027) — is one of four signal callers currently on the roster.

The hierarchy this offseason reads: Smith, O’Connell, Carter Bradley, and Cam Miller. The last name on the list was the lone addition the Raiders made to the quarterback room this offseason as Miller was selected in the sixth round (215th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. (Interestingly enough, Las Vegas selected Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott with the 213th pick, but he’s converting to wide receiver).

Standing 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, O’Connell has the pro experience edge over both Bradley and Miller, making him the favorite to be the backup quarterback at this juncture of the offseason. While his athletic profile makes for a stark contrast to Smith — I’ve dubbed O’Connell as Cement Shoes for his overall lack of scrambling ability — the difference between the two signal callers is a good test of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s ability to adjust his scheme.

Where the starter and expected backup are similar though is both have accurate arms that can drive the football.

While it’s difficult to foresee either Bradley or Miller overtaking O’Connell this coming season, an open competition can certainly bring forth change. Carroll is all too familiar with this during his tenure with the Seattle Seahawks. Carroll brought int two veteran options to the quarterback room in 2012 only for third-round pick Russell Wilson to prove as the best option amongst the group. And that altered the quarterback room.

O’Connell’s competition for the QB2 role are an undrafted free agent (Bradley) and late-round pick (Miller).

At 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, Bradley (son of defensive coach Gus Bradley), has a fundamental understanding of the game but doesn’t do anything standout that merited him getting drafted heading into the 2024 draft. The 25-year-old profiles best as a QB3/emergency option who is a long-term development type.

Miller, who stands 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, was an ultra-productive FCS quarterback at North Dakota state finishing his five-year career with 81 touchdowns to 19 interceptions (9,721 yards) with a career 69-percent completion rate along with 48 rushing touchdowns (2,227 yards).

Miller — the youngest quarterback on the roster at 23 years old — is likely to duke it out with Bradley (age 25) for the QB3 role and is likely a season away from making a run at O’Connell. Oddly enough, Miller profiles similar to his fellow North Dakota State Bison alum Easton Stick (drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019 and currently with the Atlanta Falcons).

But in an open competition, stranger things have happened.

Miller and O’Connell are similar in a sense that both have very quick releases and the ball comes off their hand swiftly. Both can make touch throws at ever level of the football field and have enough arm drive to go deep.

The inherent difference is ability to punish teams with their legs.

While O’Connell ran a faster 40-yard dash time at Purdue’s pro day (4.70) compared to Miller’s (4.82 at North Dakota State’s pro day), the latter is more willing and elusive (painfully so at times) compared to the former. O’Connell has enough movement skills to evade pressure but his longest run of his career is a 13-yard scamper.

Perhaps that’ll eventually be the deciding factor between the two quarterbacks down the road.

Either way, the fight for the backup role will bring out the best of the quarterback room and identify the straggler(s) who will either get cut or end up on the practice squad, potentially. Because of this, expect the open competition to result in a fluctuating roster as the Raiders embark on the offseason towards the final 53-man roster.