Raiders predicted to cut ties with QB before start of 2026 NFL season originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Las Vegas Raiders, like every other NFL franchise, still have a ways to go before they finalize their 53-man roster for the 2026-27 season.
While there’s no telling who the Raiders will cut ties with to ensure they meet the NFL’s mandatory roster requirement, Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton floated the idea of the franchise parting ways with their 27-year-old quarterback.
“Rarely do you see a third-string quarterback as the best player who could lose his roster spot, but Aidan O’Connell is in a unique situation,” Moton wrote Sunday. “The Las Vegas Raiders signed Kirk Cousins and selected Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.”
“According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Cousins will likely start in regular-season games. O’Connell is clearly the odd man out at quarterback, but he may not have much trade value despite throwing for 3,922 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 21 games, which included 17 starts.”
“O’Connell has athletic limitations at an evolving position and an expiring contract. Teams may wait for 2027 free agency rather than trade for him.”
O’Connell has been far from the worst quarterback the Raiders have ever employed. While the Purdue product hasn’t been a world-beating signal caller with Las Vegas through three seasons, he’s earned the serviceable label when asked to fill in for the QB in front of him.
That said, the Raiders’ quarterback room has already been solidified for the upcoming campaign, as Mendoza and Cousins are poised to be the franchise’s two featured QBs in 2026-27. Simply put, cutting ties with O’Connell wouldn’t be considered a devastating roster move.
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