The Las Vegas Raiders have decided to bench their starting quarterback since 2014, Derek Carr. They do so in an attempt to see what the younger players can do. As a result, Jarrett Stidham has been named the starting quarterback moving forward. It’s a tough spot for the three-year player in these final two games. Stidham has had a total of 11 NFL appearances with a 52.5 percent completion rate for 342 yards.
What should Raiders fans expect from Jarrett Stidham?
The decision comes after the Silver and Black lost another close matchup in Pittsburgh on Christmas Eve. Stidham was originally one of New England’s fourth-round picks in the 2019 NFL draft. He reunited with head coach Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi, and general manager David Ziegler while transitioning to Las Vegas this offseason.
The 26-year-old quarterback played college football at Auburn University, where he won MVP honors, was the quickest in school history to reach 5,000 passing yards, and even set a record of 162 pass attempts without an interception. “Jarrett comes in every day and works extremely hard. Does a really good job on the scout team of giving the defensive [team] a good look and prepares just like Derek Carr prepares, just like Chase Garbers prepares,” said Lombardi in a recent transcript.
Familiarity with Josh McDaniels’ offense is a plus
Having worked with a familiar offensive system is a major plus for Stidham. Already having a sense of what the coaches are looking for and expecting from him is very beneficial. These factors will definitely ease the stress and anxiety the young quarterback may face. Keep in mind that this is his first official start in the NFL. Needless to say, all eyes will be on him for the full four quarters given the magnitude of Carr’s benching.
He definitely has a lot to prove, as Raiders fans on Twitter were immediately split on the idea of benching Carr when it was announced. Half of Raider Nation wants the team to move on from the QB of nine years, but others defend Carr and point out that he hasn’t had the typical circumstances that most others do.
Some people are fed up with the performance Carr has been putting on lately, but that doesn’t mean that putting this young man in will make anything better. Stidham’s stats in the NFL aren’t much to brag about, but the situation could definitely be worse. “He’s got to be prepared to play. If you’re active in the game, you have to be ready to play. So, he makes sure he does it every single week,” said Lombardi in the same transcript.
Expectations For Raiders QB Jarrett Stidham With Derek Carr Out
*Top Photo: Chris Unger/Getty Images