Jan 5, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) enters the field before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Raiders' QB Aidan O'Connell Enters Important Year with Team

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated May 8, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders are heading into a whole new direction in 2025. The Raiders now have a veteran head coach in Pete Carroll who will lead the way on and off the field. Giving the Silver and Black, hopefully, the stability they have been looking for in a head coach since moving to Las Vegas.

The Raiders also have a new general manager, John Spytek. Spytek will do whatever he can to give the Raiders the best players possible to have a successful roster. Spytek is one of the best up and coming general managers and pairing him with Carroll has been good so far.

For the players, it is not safe to say that they will automatically have the same role or starting job as last year's team. We have already seen some players leave in free agency from last year's team because the new regime did not want to overpay for them. And players heading into 2025 will have to prove to Carroll and Spytek that they are the type of player that will help turn things around in Las Vegas.

One player that has to prove it to the new regime and will be entering his money year is quarterback Aidan O'Connell. The Silver and Black have seen what he can do with the offense. But is there another step that he can take to show the new regime that he can be the future quarterback of the Raiders after veteran Geno Smith?

Our Hondo Carpenter talked about O'Connell heading into the 2025 season on the latest episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."

"Aiden O'Connell, the quarterback out of Purdue. Some interesting things here," said Carpenter. "Now Aiden has played in 20 games, started in 17, in only two years. There was a trade market for him. The Raiders were not just looking to unload him. He is their number two quarterback. A young kid with only two years and some really good experience."

"I have not seen enough from him to say he is a QB1. I have not seen enough from him to say he is not. But after 17 starts in 20 games, he has now had to put the team on his shoulders and do something without the yeah buts. That is what QB1 does."