Sure sounds like the Raiders have already made up their mind at starting quarterback

Although the Las Vegas Raiders do not have a franchise quarterback in the traditional sense, they do have a pair of under-the-radar signal-callers worth investing in. The Silver and Black are now Gardner Minshew II's fourth NFL team out of Washington State. He spent last year as Anthony Richardson's backup in Indianapolis. He remains the better player. Aidan O'Connell looked sharp at times last year.

In Vic Tafur's latest for The Athletic on Friday, he unpacked what it would mean for Minshew to be named the starter. I mean, he kind of looks the part. This is the NFL's rebel franchise. From the looks of it, he could be the late, great Ken Stabler's long-lost son that he never knew about. Minshew plays with a certain swagger and a never-say-die mentality that has made him a bit of a cult hero previously.

As for O'Connell, I really liked him coming out of Purdue. He was a huge reason why the Boilermakers had their run of relative success there under Jeff Brohm only a few years ago. O'Connell is not as athletic as Minshew, but he is a quarterback in every sense of the word. With a buzzcut and a mustache, would you like your Large Farva with a liter of cola? There is something with him as well.

However, I think it is Minshew's big-game ability that will ultimately lead him to the starting job here. Tafur said in the comment section of his article that Minshew needs to have a big game on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys to win the starting job.

Gardner Minshew II is one game away from being Las Vegas Raiders QB1

While O'Connell is more of the new kid on the block, Minshew has been in the national conversation really ever since his lone season at Washington State playing for Mike Leach. Minshew then took the NFL by storm during his Minshew Mania season with the 2019 Jacksonville Jaguars. He was replaced by Trevor Lawrence, but has the former Clemson star ever truly been better than his predecessor?

After spending some time with the Philadelphia Eagles as Jalen Hurts' backup, Minshew reinvented himself with the Indianapolis Colts. He followed Shane Steichen to be Anthony Richardson's backup. Once again, he was the better quarterback of the blue-chipper with elite athletic traits. I feel the Colts made another huge GOB Bluth huge mistake, but I could be proven wrong. I love me some Minshew.

Overall, if we get a great showing out of Minshew vs. the Dallas Cowboys late on Saturday night, that might be enough to propel him past O'Connell for good. That seems to be the general sense of what everyone is thinking. O'Connell might be able to run Luke Getsy's offense quite well, but that Minshew Magic is too good to overlook. It is a bit of what made Ryan Fitzpatrick so special, but slightly grittier.

Both quarterbacks can have success with the Raiders, but Minshew has the higher ceiling of the two.