The Las Vegas Raiders have a couple of quarterback conundrums.Such has been common over the last few seasons for the silver and black. Not since Derek Carr’s departure have the Raiders had a stable signal-caller who’s produced success. The franchise thought it had found one in Geno Smith a season ago, as demonstrated by the lucrative two-year extension it gave him after acquiring him from the Seahawks. However, the partnership was a disaster for both parties, and Las Vegas traded Smith to the Jets just a month after Seattle won a Super Bowl without him.However, the questions facing the current Raiders are much more positive than in previous years. The first is highly publicized: will Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza start? New head coach Klint Kubiak will decide between the four-time Pro Bowler and the 2026 NFL Draft’s No. 1 pick sometime in training camp. The second is lower profile but may be harder to answer: will Aidan O’Connell remain a Raider?Takeaways from Raiders mandatory minicampSam WarrenThe backup is entering the fourth and final season of his rookie contract with an uncertain future in Las Vegas. O’Connell is looking for an opportunity while on a squad that doesn’t seem to offer him one now or in the long term. But as a veteran with starting experience, he still provides substantial value at quarterback for the team.Arguments can be made to keep or part with O’Connell this season, and staff will be weighing both options in the coming months. As the Raiders come to a decision, here are the reasons why O’Connell will or won’t be on the roster in 2026.Why O’Connell goesThe justification for a departure is quite simple. O’Connell is the third quarterback on a roster that has current and future answers at the position, leaving him with minimal chance to make an on-field impact.Las Vegas has overtly shown confidence in Cousins. After giving him $20 million guaranteed for this year in free agency, the 14-year veteran took all of the first-team reps in offseason practices and is being set up to start Week 1. His two-year tenure in Atlanta didn’t turn out how he would have liked, but the Raiders’ belief in Cousins is backed by some of his best professional seasons coming with Kubiak as his quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator on the Vikings.Mendoza will eventually replace Cousins and be given the reins as the franchise quarterback. The timing of his promotion is unclear, but the team hopes for a seamless transition between the veteran and the rookie when it does come, with no reps for O’Connell in between. O’Connell has stated that his goal is to “hopefully be a long-time starter,” but if all goes accordingly for the Raiders, he’ll never start a game for the franchise again.The team now has a quarterback in O’Connell who’s had success as a starter with no intention of playing him. Because of their plan, the Raiders might see O’Connell being most valuable as a trade asset rather than a bench player. O’Connell would welcome a move, as he noted that his goal of starting remains steadfast no matter what happens or where his opportunity comes.Several teams could be interested in adding O’Connell’s services this offseason. The most obvious may be the Jets, as Smith’s investigation for an alleged battery complicates his status and New York has a group of unproven backups. The Cardinals may also be in the market given Jacoby Brissett’s contract dispute. And teams like the Patriots, Dolphins and Jaguars could all be looking to upgrade their backups. Injuries could create new suitors during training camp as well.There’s often no rush to move on from an experienced depth piece like O’Connell. But entering the final year of his contract speeds up the timeline. Even if Las Vegas wanted to keep and extend O’Connell, it’s unlikely that he’d re-sign in this current situation and instead explore free agency for more competitive opportunities. The current deal makes this season Las Vegas’ last to get value from O’Connell, whether that be on the field or from a return package.It’s uncertain what O’Connell could net from another team. The Raiders acquired Kenny Pickett from the Browns at the end of training camp last season for a 2026 fifth-round pick as insurance after O’Connell fractured his wrist in the preseason. Other recent trades of the sort have involved a quarterback and a pick swap, or a quarterback for a late-round pick straight up. O’Connell’s time as a Raider could end early if a similar haul is deemed viable by Las Vegas.Why O’Connell staysThe reasoning for a trade is logical, as O’Connell could get the Raiders tangible assets to help them in the future. But the team could still feel that his presence on the roster, even if it’s on the sidelines, could be more valuable than any return package for its long-term plans.Las Vegas is keen on being more competitive this season after a disastrous three-win campaign a year ago, but its main goal will be to develop Mendoza for the seasons ahead. O’Connell could be a key figure in that process.O’Connell is well-liked by the Raiders’ staff and players for his leadership and perseverance through adversity. Andrew Janocko would be his seventh offensive coordinator in his fourth season, counting interims, marking about as much turnover as a quarterback can have through his rookie contract. O’Connell has had to learn different schemes, terminology and voices quickly through such changes, including this offseason. His experience could be very beneficial for Mendoza as he undergoes his introduction to the NFL, and the veteran could be a major resource for the rookie as they learn Kubiak’s offense together.Additionally, assistant head coach Mike McCoy said during OTAs that the Raiders have a “detailed plan” as to when they want to insert Mendoza as the starter. So far, it looks like a slow progression, as he’s taken minimal reps with the first team and the Raiders have focused on refining his technique. McCoy added that the most important thing when developing rookies is to “stick to your plan” and not rush them in before they’re ready. While the Raiders hope everything goes to that plan, if it doesn’t, keeping O’Connell around could help protect them from any unexpected pressure to play Mendoza too soon.O’Connell, right, could help the Raiders keep top pick Fernando Mendoza’s development on track if a quarterback change becomes necessary. (Louis Grasse / Getty Images)It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Cousins underperform or get injured sometime this year. The soon-to-be 38-year-old said he feels healthy and had a good end to his 2025 season, though he’s dealt with ailments the past few years and led the league in interceptions the last time he began a campaign as a starter. If either struggles or injuries forced a switch early with Mendoza as his backup, the Raiders’ hand could be forced into playing the rookie and hurrying his progression. Keeping O’Connell would give them a competent option to replace Cousins instead, ensuring Mendoza’s development isn’t disrupted.O’Connell could help keep the Raiders competitive and Mendoza’s timeline correct if inserted as well. He’s 7-10 as a starter in his career, giving him the most wins as a quarterback for the team since entering the NFL, and has a 20-11 touchdown-to-interception mark. The figures are unremarkable, but they’re serviceable, which is why other franchises would be interested in him.Rostering three quarterbacks isn’t a common practice, but Kubiak was able to keep three on the Seahawks’ initial 53 last season and could do so easily with a less talented roster in Las Vegas. Holding onto O’Connell into the season could also increase his trade value if any other team’s quarterback goes down and the Raiders felt ready to move on.But the team will have to determine how and how much value O’Connell presents to them. Is a late-round draft pick worth risking a disturbance of Mendoza’s development? Or is ensuring the future at quarterback is set up properly worth more than any assets? If the Raiders deem the latter more important, then O’Connell could remain in silver and black another season.