Raiders Curious Backup QB Plan

On May 22nd, the Oakland Raiders released backup quarterback Landry Jones. To a majority of NFL teams, losing a player like Jones is not the end of the world. However, the Raiders are not a majority of NFL teams. Since the release, the Raiders now have Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman slotted in the backup slots.

Backup

Yes, you read that correctly. The Raiders have released their only non-starting quarterback on roster with a winning record. Jones currently boasts a 3-2 career record as a starter while Glennon (6-16) and Peterman (1-3) have some work to do to get back even. Despite a sizeable difference in Glennon’s and Peterman’s wins required to get back to .500, some may believe Glennon would have a better chance to get to .500 first.

Coincidentally, Jon Gruden met with both Glennon and Peterman when they were fresh out of college on his television segment, “Gruden’s QB Camp” which showcases rookie quarterbacks and lets them sit down with and receive unique coaching from Jon Gruden. Glennon’s episode did not get as much publicity and Peterman got a “Sportscenter Special” tag slapped on his show.

Glennon

Of the Raiders’ backup quarterbacks, Glennon has thrown the most touchdowns (35) and interceptions (20), but that could be due to Glennon having far more experience than Peterman and Jones combined. Glennon’s best year was his rookie campaign, where Glennon threw for 2608 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions in 13 games, all while sporting a disappointing 4-9 record for Tampa Bay. Since then, Glennon has not started more than 5 games in a season.

Comparing Glennon’s college stats from his time at North Carolina State to his NFL stats, they could be two different people. Over his final two years in college, Glennon threw for 7085 yards and 62 touchdowns over 26 games. Perhaps coaches still cling to what they saw in college and hope Glennon can still reach that level of expertise and skill.

Nathan Peterman: A Fresh Start?

Despite one of the rockiest rookie debuts in NFL history, Nathan Peterman also excelled in college. After transferring from the University of Tennessee to Pitt, Peterman threw for 5142 yards, 47 touchdowns, and only 15 interceptions. On ”Gruden’s QB Camp”, Gruden noted that Peterman reminded him of an NFL quarterback. Gruden appeared to fall in love with Peterman’s talent and made this clear. Gruden had a choice quote about Peterman: “You can’t go broke making a profit” meaning coaches are not going to lose with Peterman.

As mentioned, Peterman attended two different colleges in his collegiate career. This was important for many reasons, but two in particular. First, he shows the ability learn different systems. Next, he refuses to quit when losing a starting spot. Both reasons could be why Gruden keeps him around.

Peterman stumbled into a unique situation, as far as patterns go. He struggled his first two years of college before joining a new team and thriving. Now he struggled for two years in the NFL and has joined a new team. Perhaps it could be time for two impressive years for Peterman. Overall, the Oakland Raiders need to watch the backup situation and waiver wire closely.