The Las Vegas Raiders are entering an exciting new era under head coach Pete Carroll and have already upgraded massively at quarterback. The team sent a third-round pick to the rebuilding Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Geno Smith, who the team then signed to a two-year, $85.5 million extension in early April.
The team has still been widely tipped to add a young quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, however, with one outlet suggesting that there could be trade movement on Draft weekend.
Raiders Expected To Trade Away Aidan O’Connell on Draft Weekend
After 2024 starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II joined the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, the Raiders are left with only Aidan O’Connell and 2024 practice-squad quarterback Carter Bradley behind Smith. O’Connell has struggled when given opportunities on the field, and with Smith now 34, the team may be looking to secure a long-term heir in the Draft.
According to a recent article by Vic Tafur of The Athletic, that could mean that O’Connell finds himself on a new team in 2025. When addressing the team’s quarterback situation and the possibility of the Raiders drafting a rookie, the article suggests that O’Connell could be traded on draft weekend.
“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).”
If the Raiders were to draft a new quarterback, particularly on Day 1 or 2, a trade might make sense for O’Connell. A fourth-round pick in 2023, he has made 17 starts for Las Vegas, winning seven. While failing to prove himself as a starting-caliber NFL quarterback, he represents a better option than many teams’ current backups.
Which Teams Might Be Interested in O’Connell?
Many teams have already signed backups in 2025, leaving pickings a little slimmer for O’Connell than they would have been during free agency. That being said, several options would still make sense, especially considering the perceived lack of depth in the 2025 quarterback class.
The Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints are obvious places to start. The Vikings are on the lookout for a veteran backup to J.J. McCarthy and are running out of options. O’Connell’s two years of NFL experience makes him less experienced than the Vikings would likely be looking for, but his 17 starts put him on the map.
The Saints, meanwhile, are facing the possibility of being without Derek Carr for the entire 2025 season, with the player considering surgery on an injured shoulder. That would leave the team with Jake Haener and 2024 rookie Spencer Rattler battling for the starting job. Haener and Rattler started seven games between them in 2024, winning none. That included a scoreless showing against the Green Bay Packers in Week 16.
One other team to look out for would be the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons turned heads in 2024 by drafting Michael Penix in the first round, despite having just handed Kirk Cousins a lucrative four-year contract. With Cousins also a potential trade candidate, the Falcons may be in need of a backup later in the Draft.