The Oakland Raiders made an interesting waiver claim at the start of September, picking up former Notre Dame standout DeShone Kizer from the Green Bay Packers.
The 23-year-old was brought in to add depth to the quarterback position, which was necessary amid Nathan Peterman suffering an elbow injury and being placed on injured reserve.
Kizer opened up the 2019 NFL season third on the Raiders’ depth chart behind Derek Carr and Mike Glennon. He has since been promoted to Carr’s primary backup following Glennon’s struggles against the New York Jets in Week 12.
The young signal-caller is looking forward to the opportunities that await him in practice, which he admitted will have a different feel due to his new role, via Jerry McDonald of The Mercury News:
“It’s kind of fun to be Pat Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, but the mindset does change,” Kizer said. “As much as I want to say this week’s practices are going to be the same as last week, it’s a little different. You’re a little more honed in on what you’re doing.”
While quarterbacks are typically at a disadvantage when signing with a team late, Kizer credited the chemistry he has developed with his teammates for allowing him to learn the playbook much quicker than anticipated:
“We push each other, and it has allowed me to learn at a higher rate than I ever expected to get the offense down,” Kizer said. “This offense gives the quarterback a lot of responsibility, which requires you to own your craft, to own what you’re doing out there. We’re going to dial up a lot of good stuff, and it’s on you to make sure you’re in the right play and executing the right play.”
Kizer received his first NFL opportunity in 2017 as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, making 15 starts in what was a winless season for the franchise. He then appeared in three games last year for the Packers, serving as the primary backup to Aaron Rodgers, and completed 20 of his 42 pass attempts.
While Kizer has not yet appeared in a game this season, he will suit up for the first time on Sunday when the Raiders host the Tennessee Titans. Oakland looks to get back in the win column for the first time in three weeks following back-to-back losses to the Jets and Kansas City Chiefs.
