The Las Vegas Raiders lost to the San Francisco 49ers 22-19 in Week 2 of the preseason. As expected, Geno Smith played very little, completing 6-of-8 passes for 55 yards before making way for Aidan O’Connell and Cam Miller. From there, the Raiders‘ position battle at backup quarterback raged forward.
The Raiders especially showcased O’Connell, who took the majority of the reps. Rumors have been swirling that GM John Spytek is willing to trade the former fourth-round pick of a previous regime. O’Connell completed 15-of-23 passes for 138 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. His turnover was an egregious one, an ill-advised throw that took potential points off the board.
Miller, who has routinely impressed throughout training camp, didn’t fare much better. The rookie signal-caller out of North Dakota State completed 2-of-6 passing attempts for 25 yards and an interception. Miller still appears to be in the driver’s seat for the QB2 role, but Saturday’s showcase represented a slight step backwards.
O’Connell’s extended action on Saturday was by design. With cut-down day approximately one week away, it felt like the Raiders were showcasing their potential trade piece. Miller’s performance created slight room for doubt, but the Raiders still appear ready to make him Smith’s backup.
