The O'Connell thread - love him or hate him or indifferent, put it in here

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The O'Connell thread - love him or hate him or indifferent, put it in here

Unread post by KillerRaider30 »

Looks ripped and ready!

Aidan walking into the facility yesterday
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Unread post by Attyla »

O'Connell has his use. He can show Mendoza where the bathrooms are. He can tell him where the best food joints are off the strip. He can hand Mendoza a towel after his workouts. I kid of course but learning about your new digs and your new town is a thing. '

I am absolutely convinced they are not worried about a third string QB even if he does not fit the system. A way down the trough issue that can be addressed at any time. And he can take the hits in the second half of the preseason games while the line begins to gel.
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Unread post by chucker »

There's a good chance that our third QB is on the PS and not on the 53.
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Unread post by Tusken »

He is a shit player with a shit mustache. End of.
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Unread post by rhumbob »

He's a functional QB. Not fast by any means. The poor recognition ding is a bit unfair given the number of systems he's had to work with in a short amount of time.

Can't disagree with the mustache issue.
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Unread post by TrueFan420 »

Some of the takes in here are wild. AOC was never touted as the future or some special player. He was always at best a low ceiling high floor player. Someone who’s a good backup but not someone you’ll build around as a starter. Many who wanted him to start was simply because our other options sucked. Finding out his exact ceiling would have been a better use of time than Minshew or Geno (though I can’t be mad at our tank commander).

In the 3 years he’s been here we’ve been trash and his record starting is 7-10. That’s borderline impressive considering all things. Yes he wasn’t slinging it around carrying the team but we managed to win. He’s a part of why.

No he’s not the future but let’s not pretend like 3m for a backup is crazy. It’s 40th. Most below him are either on rookie deals. A few vets that are expiring and will get more as a backup on the market next year and a few getting paid by someone else that would be higher otherwise (Geno/Cousins). Several that are worse than him and shown far far less.

If we can get a 4th or 5th for him awesome. If he’s QB3 cool. Hell, I’d have been fine with him as QB2. I’d bring him back next year as QB2 because Cousin won’t be here.

I don’t know why everyone’s so worked up over Aidan O’Connell.
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Unread post by BoKnows81 »

TrueFan420 wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2026 10:25 am Some of the takes in here are wild. AOC was never touted as the future or some special player. He was always at best a low ceiling high floor player. Someone who’s a good backup but not someone you’ll build around as a starter. Many who wanted him to start was simply because our other options sucked. Finding out his exact ceiling would have been a better use of time than Minshew or Geno (though I can’t be mad at our tank commander).

In the 3 years he’s been here we’ve been trash and his record starting is 7-10. That’s borderline impressive considering all things. Yes he wasn’t slinging it around carrying the team but we managed to win. He’s a part of why.

No he’s not the future but let’s not pretend like 3m for a backup is crazy. It’s 40th. Most below him are either on rookie deals. A few vets that are expiring and will get more as a backup on the market next year and a few getting paid by someone else that would be higher otherwise (Geno/Cousins). Several that are worse than him and shown far far less.

If we can get a 4th or 5th for him awesome. If he’s QB3 cool. Hell, I’d have been fine with him as QB2. I’d bring him back next year as QB2 because Cousin won’t be here.

I don’t know why everyone’s so worked up over Aidan O’Connell.
Yea, you lost me at "someone who's a good backup".
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Unread post by TrueFan420 »

BoKnows81 wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2026 10:40 am Yea, you lost me at "someone who's a good backup".
We’re 18-33 the last 3 years. He’s 7-10 in that stretch. You’re not finding a better backup than that at that price. You can split hairs over potentially better players but they’d need to be acquired at a cost and/or want to come here. Replacing him when we have no need is a fools errand. He won’t win us a game but he’s not out there costing us games like Minshew or Geno did. He was better than Picket and Jimmy G.

You want spend another late pick on QB 3 to save 2m and realistically have a player no where near being able to step into a game. You want to trade for another QB. Cap space isn’t an issue this year either. We don’t need to shave the cap to get everyone fit in. All this talk is beyond dumb.
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Unread post by Attyla »

O'Connell is not a system fit. We can get a third string off the scrap heap during free agency for less and find a guy who is a system fit. It is not about record, it is about a QB room that makes sense and O'Connell in this system does not make sense.

Nice guy, not horrible at his job but not the right guy. We need voices in Mendoza's ear that are saying the things he needs to hear that conform with the system we will be running.
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Unread post by Attyla »

Unlike some, I do not think O'Connell is garbage, and he seems like a truly nice guy. He also can make many of the throws although his deep ball is suspect. He does process slow, and the film does not lie on that. And he is not the quickest of guys although he can run decently when he has to do so. His pocket awareness is a bit below average but not horrible. But the system Kubiak runs does require a guy who is elusive in the pocket and a guy who can break and run when needed. It also requires a guy who can play action. And that is not O'Connell.

This is about as truthful as I can get. Nice guy, in another system is a decent option as a backup. But not here and not now. It really is time to throw him out there in the second half of games in preseason and let him be part of the final cuts and we get a guy who is more of a system fit for our third string guy.
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Unread post by BoKnows81 »

Attyla wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2026 12:19 pm Unlike some, I do not think O'Connell is garbage, and he seems like a truly nice guy. He also can make many of the throws although his deep ball is suspect. He does process slow, and the film does not lie on that. And he is not the quickest of guys although he can run decently when he has to do so. His pocket awareness is a bit below average but not horrible. But the system Kubiak runs does require a guy who is elusive in the pocket and a guy who can break and run when needed. It also requires a guy who can play action. And that is not O'Connell.

This is about as truthful as I can get. Nice guy, in another system is a decent option as a backup. But not here and not now. It really is time to throw him out there in the second half of games in preseason and let him be part of the final cuts and we get a guy who is more of a system fit for our third string guy.
He is 63% garbage and I can name about 63 nicer guys in the NFL. I know Pfish can agree with that.
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Unread post by Attyla »

BoKnows81 wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2026 12:30 pm He is 63% garbage and I can name about 63 nicer guys in the NFL. I know Pfish can agree with that.
Like I said, it really is time to move on. But there is no rush, he will make the preseason money all the guys get, put him out there and let him get his preseason audition time for another team and then cut him at the last cuts so he can find his new team. We move on and get a guy who fits the scheme and that can only help the development of Mendoza. O'Connell will find a new home, and good for hm. Extend that career as long as you can. At the end of the day, it is about getting the checks that you will need after the career is over.
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Unread post by Raider_Dave »

I'd say...
He's a bottom of the barrel starting QB.
He's a middle of the road backup.
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Unread post by BoKnows81 »

Raider_Dave wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2026 1:49 pm I'd say...
He's a bottom of the barrel starting QB.
He's a middle of the road backup.
Starting QB? In what league?
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Unread post by Reno Hightower »

BoKnows81 wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2026 3:31 pm Starting QB? In what league?
Your hatred of AOC is nearly as intense as Magua's strong dislike for the Grey Haired Colonel in "Last of the Mohicans."
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Unread post by BoKnows81 »

Toast wrote: Sat Apr 11, 2026 5:20 pm Your hatred of AOC is nearly as intense as Magua's strong dislike for the Grey Haired Colonel in "Last of the Mohicans."
Heard of the movie but haven't seen it lol.

Just bc Aidan is a garbage QB does not mean i hate him. And to say he's even a bottom barrel starting QB in this league is asinine. People get hung up on the "he's a nice guy" nonsense but i truly couldn't give a shit if he was nice or the biggest dick in the league. If you can't play, you can kick rocks. Gentleman or not.
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