The Raiders are preparing for a new season, but as of now, their QB room isn’t as good as fans would expect. With second-year signal caller Aidan O’Connell as QB1 and Gardner Minshew as QB2, it is widely believed that the Raiders will be drafting a quarterback as they lack the necessary leadership in that position. This was even more evident in the recent podcast episode of Maxx Crosby.
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Joining teammate Crosby for a chat, Gardner Minshew openly expressed how he is not capable of matching the elite skill set of QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson. Although Minshew won a Pro Bowl with the Colts last season, he certainly accepts his limitations.
“For me, watching Pat Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar; what am I supposed to do with that? I can’t do (what they do),” Minshew playfully declared. “It’s like telling a kid, ‘Hey, go watch LeBron James. Go watch what LeBron James does… (Then imitate) that.'”
A QB idolizing his division rival, especially when HC Antonio Pierce and Maxx Crosby are setting up the ‘Mahomes rule‘ to beat that one person is not a good look on the franchise. However, as per NBC Sports, the club is actually looking forward to D-Day in Detroit, and head man Antonio Pierce has made it clear that he doesn’t want a “band-aid” QB at the helm, but someone who can start in his debut season.
Quarterbacks Gardener Minshew Likes to Learn From
When asked which QB he prefers watching in his free time, Gardner Minshaw, without skipping a beat, named Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Joe Burrow. He believes that these playmakers are easier to follow, and he can imitate their playing style if needed.
“Rodgers… I’d always watch him if they’re on,” he said. “Stafford’s the same way… I don’t know there’s a lot of good ones. I do like Joe Burrow a lot… He gets the ball out. I like how he plays.”
Minshew signed a two-year deal with the Raiders in March of this year that was worth $25 million with $15 million guaranteed. Whether he will be a reliable choice for Pierce’s offense, however, is still a question.
That said, there is a huge possibility for the Men in Black to trade up and swap picks with the NY Jets, as per a CBS Sports mock draft. Michael Penix Jr. is the one in contention here, and the Raiders, with their 13th overall pick, will have to jump over the Vikings and the Broncos.
This sure makes sense, as Penix Jr. could bring the necessary firepower to the team, which is left with little to no experience in the QB room. They have come a long way since Pierce was thrust into the big role, and surely, the club will flourish with a few additions from the draft.
