Things couldn’t have worked out any better for Gardner Minshew coming out of the 2024 NFL Draft. Not only did the Raiders not select a quarterback, they added one of the best pass catchers in the draft in Brock Bowers. And then on Day 2, the Raiders added multiple offensive linemen to help protect Minshew.

In a recent article by Bill Barnwell of ESPN, he wrote about the biggest winners and losers coming out of the 2024 NFL Draft. And of course, Minshew was on the list. Here is a snippet of what Barnwell had to say about Minshew heading into the season:

All of this benefits Minshew, who is likely to win a competition with Aidan O’Connell for the starting job. Minshew would have been cast in the bridge quarterback role if the Raiders had selected a quarterback in the first round, but their failure to land a passer of the future and the depth added up front should be a boon to his chances of playing — and playing well — in 2024.

Minshew is likely to enter the season as the Week 1 starter and he should have a lot of talent around him. This will be yet another chance for him to show the rest of the league that he deserves to be considered a starting quarterback for some franchise.