3 observations from 2nd week of Raiders camp: Edge in QB battle?

COSTA MESA, Calif. — The Raiders wrapped up their second week of training camp Saturday, exactly one week before they open the preseason against the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis.

Here are some observations from this week:

Minshew making move?

Despite Raiders coach Antonio Pierce imploring either Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew to take charge of the quarterback competition, neither has decidedly moved ahead of the other in the fight for the starting job.

Minshew, though, appeared to nudge slightly into the lead with a progressively improved week of practice.

The sixth-year veteran has more mobility than O’Connell and looks more comfortable throwing off rollouts or scrambles. But it was his work in the pocket this week, when he stayed put and went through his progressions, that stood out.

“I thought Gardner had a really good practice the other day,” Pierce said Friday. “Made some really good throws, good control, good in operation.”

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s West Coast offense is predicated on throws made with timing and precision. The goal is to quickly and accurately get the ball out to the playmakers, hopefully in stride to allow them to do damage with the ball.

Minshew was fairly effective in doing that. While O’Connell has the stronger arm, Minshew’s ability to complete the short to intermediate throws on time and in rhythm is just as important, if not more so, than his ability to drive the ball downfield.

O’Connell had his moments, including a crisply run two-minute drill that ended with a touchdown to rookie tight end Brock Bowers.

But he also struggled at times with his accuracy and held onto the ball too long on dropbacks. One ended up as a strip sack, and a handful of others would have been sacks in a real game.

With just over three weeks remaining in camp — and three preseasons games looming — Pierce is not ready to declare a starter based on one week of Minshew playing slightly better.

“I don’t want to get caught in an emotional game that’s like a roller-coaster ride,” Pierce said. “We’re going to look at the body of work. Again, there’s not really a date, or anything that we stamped, but we’re looking to build on back-to-back days, right?”

Defense could be great

In fairness to O’Connell and Minshew, they go to work every day against a defense that looks even better than the group that surrendered the ninth-fewest points in the NFL last year.

Every level of the defense has been impressive throughout camp, led by a defensive line that is borderline dominant and showing signs of being one of the deepest in the league.

Maxx Crosby is the ring leader up front. But new defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is just as impactful as an interior force, and edge rusher Malcolm Koonce appears poised to build off his breakthrough season in 2024.

It goes beyond those three, though, as Adam Butler, the backup to John Jenkins, has shown major improvement and could push for more early-down snaps. Butler is a classic situational interior pass rusher, typically inserted in the game on known passing downs, but he’s made a handful of plays behind the line of scrimmage on run plays and could get on the field on first and second downs.

Byron Young, a second-year defensive tackle from Alabama, is having a solid camp and could be in line to earn a spot in the rotation. Tyree Wilson, last year’s first-round pick, is splitting time between the inside and outside.

Thanks to the emergence of Koonce last year, the Raiders can afford to bring Wilson along this year and figure out exactly what they have in a prospect who has all the gifts to be a viable defensive lineman in the NFL.

Big-play frustrations

Based on the first two weeks of camp, it’s clear the Raiders’ offense won’t be a high-flying group that often challenges opponents with big plays downfield.

Yes, the necessary weaponry is on hand to punish opponents at all levels, but expecting O’Connell and Minshew to attack opposing defenses with their ability to stretch the field seems dubious.

More likely, the Raiders will be an offense built on an effective run game and a passing game that methodically moves the ball down the field.

It is critical, though, that the Raiders take advantage of whatever big-play opportunities they get.

Hence the frustration this week when speedy wide receiver Tre Tucker failed to come up with a big throw that would have covered 50-plus yards, and when Davante Adams had a big play wiped out when his defender swiped the ball out of his hands.

Those are critical plays that must be converted.

It is typical during an NFL training camp to have three to four offensive moments that draw “oohs and ahhs” from the fans on hand.

There have not been many of those in this camp, a sign that the club might be challenged in that area this season.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.