The Raiders (or the fan base, at least) got a gut punch on Thursday with the announcement that Christian Wilkins was being released, but it’s been a mostly positive offseason in Las Vegas and there was at least one encouraging surprise on day 1 of training camp.
Aside from Wilkins, the roster is healthy going into camp and one returning player seems to have made a transformation since he was last in the public eye.
According to multiple reports from camp, Aidan O’Connell was one of the big talking points after the first day of practice.
“Aidan O’Connell was never out of shape, but he looked like he was in fantastic shape,” Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter reported on Tuesday. “His body was toned, and he flew through drills with ease. He showed some today that I had not seen, and while there is zero QB controversy at QB1, there is zero QB controversy at QB2.”
But it was flagship radio host ‘JT the Brick’ who offered the most enthusiastic description of O’Connell in his first day of practice.
“One big takeaway I have today, with my own eyes, the only thing I saw today that I couldn’t wait to tell you was Aidan O’Connell… he looked unbelievable,” JT said on his weekday Raider Nation Radio show.
“Aidan walked by me [and] clearly changed his body, his workout, the ball looked unbelievable. I talked to [offensive coordinator] Greg Olson [and] he’s like ‘Yeah, something’s up with Aidan O’Connell.’ He looked fabulous today. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him, but that was the buzz today by a lot of people I was watching with… I was impressed.”
JT emphasized that there is no quarterback controversy in Las Vegas, but his description of O’Connell was like nothing anyone said about the former fourth-round pick a year ago.
If nothing else, it sounds like the Raiders have their depth chart at quarterback figured out six weeks before the start of the season and there’s a good chance that 6th-round pick Cam Miller will hang around, considering he was one of the quarterbacks that caught the eye of Tom Brady leading up to the draft.
x: @raidersbeat
It’s not like Geno is a top 10 quarterback, so I’d be happy if Aiden can overtake him. Then again, he couldn’t win the job last year
Hilarious 🤣..That was Telesco’s call not AP if you actually read between the lines which obviously you didn’t and can’t..Aidan should have been the starter and every knowledgeable raiders fan knows this ..Get a clue buddy
You could reply to the guy without being an insulting putz.
Did Aiden suddenly drop 20 lbs in his left led leg? He is a stiff , no mobility period. Pretty much like saying Payton manning went and got into great shape and now he can move around like mahommes. Put the crack pipe down, wtf?
Thank you Walter!!! I have been advocating, all off season, that the Raiders go get journeyman Joshua Dobbs from the New England Patriots because he is a savvy veteran, who is 31, has played with the Steelers, Vikings and 49ers and IS MOBILE!!!!
Adian O’Connell is a lead footed quarterback who couldn’t run around a corner. While this story is trying to tout O’Connell’s being in shape, what it doesn’t do is address the Raiders need for a MOBILE option should an unforseen injury befall Geno Smith during this exhausting 17 regular season game schedule. Has anyone forgotten what happened to the Raiders last year at the quarterback position? Well let me remind you, Minshew went down and so did O’Connell and the Raiders had to resort to Desmond Ridder, who was largely ineffective but mobile.
Joshua Dobbs is much more experienced, MOBILE and affordable than O’Connell. In short, Dobbs is a viable option whereas O’Connell is more of a placeholder. If the Raiders have to depend on O’Connell during the regular season, they will quickly find themselves looking for an alternative or at least a capable backup and God forbid that they may have to turn to, Oh God please no, Kirk Cousins.
Look Raiders management, do Raider Nation and yourselves a favor and avoid this possibility early and go get Joshua Dobbs now.