Getty Former Raiders quarterback Nathan Peterman.
There have been ample changes made by the Las Vegas Raiders since Josh McDaniels replaced Jon Gruden as head coach. Perhaps the biggest change has been the team’s commitment to Derek Carr as they recently signed him to a three-year extension. While Gruden never admitted to wanting to move on from Carr, it was odd that he gave a big contract to Marcus Mariota and would praise Nathan Peterman any chance he got.
Peterman stuck around with the Raiders for three seasons and was considered Gruden’s project. He rarely had the chance to get on the field and was regulated to the practice squad after the coach resigned. While the chances of Peterman ever getting another starting job are low, he’s a capable backup who likely learned a lot during his time with the Raiders.
The Chicago Bears know this and have decided to sign him to a one-year contract, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
Justin Fields is the starter in Chicago and there won’t be any quarterback controversy with Peterman coming to town. That said, he will provide a lot of experience as a backup for the young quarterback.
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Are Raiders Set at QB?
Gruden made it a point to have really good backups during his time with the Raiders. Mariota had his issues as a starter but there’s no doubt that the former No. 2 overall pick was capable of helping the team win if Carr got hurt. Gruden also had Mike Glennon as a backup for a year, who has started a lot of games.
This year, McDaniels appears set to have Jarrett Stidham or Nick Mullens back up Carr. All of those guys are smart veterans but none of them has started more than eight games in a season. If something were to happen to Carr, the Raiders wouldn’t be in a great spot. When McDaniels was with the New England Patriots, the team always had very good backups. Players like Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett and Matt Cassell went on to be starters after leaving the team. It’s a bit odd that McDaniels would rely on Mullens and Gilbert to back up Carr but things could change.
Carr Is as Durable as They Come
What likely played a factor in the Raiders not pursuing a more notable backup is that Carr is very durable. He’s missed just two regular season games in his career due to injury. He’s tough and has played through injuries before. However, even Carr isn’t unbreakable.
The Raiders may have another Super Bowl trophy in their case had Carr not suffered a fibula fracture during the 2016 season. Instead, the team got bounced in the first round of the playoffs. Had the team had a more capable backup quarterback, they have been able to be more competitive in the playoffs. The Philadelphia Eagles and Nick Foles proved in the 2017 season that a team can win a Super Bowl with a good backup quarterback.
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