Raiders Reveal Their Multidimensional Plan for QB Aidan O'Connell

The Raiders' Plan for O'Connell

The Raiders cut their roster down to 53 players before Tuesday's deadline. O'Connell was still listed on the roster. However, on Wednesday, Raiders General Manager John Spytek noted that the Raiders put O'Connell on Injured Reserve.

Spytek noted explained the logistics behind the Raiders placing O'Connell on IR. Although O'Connell had his struggles during the preseason, the Raiders have not given up on O'Connell just yet. Spytek believes keeping O'Connell on the roster is what is best for all parties involved.

"He's now on IR. We placed him on IR today. So it's just really kind of the way that the league allows you to do different ways to put guys to IR. You get eight total guys for the entire season to bring back from Designated to Return. If you do two of them, like we did Lonnie [Johnson Jr.] before, now you're down to six. And so we thought that this will just give us a little bit more flexibility,” Spytek said.

"Sometimes it's challenging because you have to carry them through the cut, and then cut somebody like a veteran usually to do it. With the way our roster was kind of made up, it actually kind of fell together so it wasn't as challenging to do as some of the places I've been in past. So Aidan's [O'Connell] on IR now, and he's already had his surgery, and he's already working hard to get back, and when he's ready, he'll have a chance to play football again."

Still, Spytek was somewhat elusive about the team's plans at quarterback once O'Connell returns, primarily because he would like to wait and see how the first few weeks of the regular season goes for the team.

"We'll see how it comes. I'm not going to make any predictions about how the season unfolds, but right now, we know we have two healthy guys on the active roster, and that's kind of how we'll start the season," Spytek said.

While it is still anyone's guess how things will turn out, O'Connell remains a Raider.