As they headed into the last season, the Las Vegas Raiders gave quarterback Aidan O’Connell the No. 4 jersey, which had been worn by a previous player for nine seasons. However, O’Connell actually preferred a different number. Derek Carr The Raiders announced on May 2nd
The that several veterans, including O’Connell, would be changing their jersey numbers. O’Connell will now wear No. 12, as No. 16 is currently taken by wide receiver Jakobi Meyers . It’s not clear why O’Connell chose No. 12, but it makes sense that he no longer wanted to wear Carr’s number.The quarterback wasn’t the only Raiders veteran to change his number. Running back
will switch from No. 35 to No. 3, the same number he wore in college. Another running back, Zamir White Ameer Abdullah , is also going back to his college number by changing from No. 22 to No. 8. Tre’von Moehrig
Safety will also be returning to his college number, wearing No. 7 after wearing No. 25 for his first three seasons. Finally, defensive tackle Marquan McCall is changing from No. 96 to No. 52. With the NFL allowing more flexibility in jersey numbers in recent years, many players are now able to wear the numbers they prefer. Notable Rookie Jersey Numbers
Now that the veterans have settled on their numbers, the rookies are starting to receive their assigned numbers. One notable rookie jersey number is first-round pick
Brock Bowers , who has chosen to wear No. 89. The last Raiders first-round pick to wear No. 89 was wide receiverAmari Cooper , who was a Pro Bowler in his rookie year.The No. 19 jersey Bowers wore in college is currently held by wide receiver
, so he opted for a more traditional number for a tight end. Another jersey number fans may be interested in is second-round pick Jackson Powers-Booth. The offensive lineman will wear No. 70 at the NFL level, different from the No. 58 he wore in college, which is held by linebacker DJ Turner Darien Butler Raiders PR provided a breakdown of all the rookie jersey numbers in a.
May 1st bulletin Can Aidan O’Connell Win the Starting QB Spot?.
After numerous rumors linking the Raiders to top quarterbacks in the draft, the team ultimately chose not to draft a quarterback. While this may be concerning for the team, it is positive news for O’Connell. He started 10 games last season but did not perform well enough to secure a long-term starting position.
The Raiders brought in veteran
Garnder Minshew to compete with him, and many anticipate the journeyman to start in 2024. However, O’Connell potentially starting cannot be ruled out. He improved as the 2023 season progressed and threw eight touchdowns without any interceptions in his final four games. While he may not have much athletic potential, he possesses a strong arm and great accuracy. Minshew has more experience but has mainly served as a backup throughout his career. The Raiders could have a close competition for the starting quarterback position during training camp. Several of the Las Vegas Raiders veterans have chosen to change their jersey numbers before the 2024 regular season.
