Increased Competition Has Impacted Every Raiders' Unit

Following training camp, veteran Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell explained how the Raiders' practices have helped him improve. Las Vegas' practices under Carroll have been more productive than those under the past two regimes.

O'Connell Speaks

"Yeah, I think practice is a huge part of that. I think film studies a huge part of it. I think it's understanding what we're doing, trying to understand what the defense is doing. So it's not one thing, it's a combination of things, and something that I think, since you start playing football as a young kid, you try to work on, and y ou're never really a finished product with it," O'Connell said.

O'Connell is entering his third season in the league. He is on his third head coach and third offensive coordinator during that span. He has also entered each of his three seasons in the league in different situations.

In his rookie season, he started as the third-string quarterback. Last season, he nearly won the starting job before losing to Gardner Minshew, who was being paid significantly more than him. This season, he enters the regular season as the team's second-string quarterback.

O'Connell noted that his rollercoaster ride of a career has prepared him for the moment. Still, this training camp has been different than the other ones O'Connell has been through.

"A little bit, obviously, just with different intricacies of what my role is and what we're trying to do, where I get reps and stuff, and who I'm working with, but really every day is a competition with myself. Like you mentioned, I had to learn that in high school and college, it wasn’t always guaranteed that I was going to play," O'Connell said.

"And so really learned how to compete, how to compete with myself and not worry about other people. Worry about what you know I'm doing to try to be the best football player I can be. And that's still a goal. That was a goal, again, when I started playing football. It's still a goal."

There have been several coaches and players who have played a role in O'Connell's development over the years. However, he credited Quarterbacks Coach Greg Olson with helping him ithis offseason.

"I've really enjoyed working with Oli [Greg Olson], with Nate [Carroll] as well in the QB room. And the quarterback room has been really enjoyable for me. I think Ollie does a great job of communicating clearly and trying to get me, Geno [Smith], and Cam [Miller] to understand as best possible what we're trying to do, while also have some fun and bring some humor. So I've definitely enjoyed my time so far with Oli," O'Connell said.

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