When thinking of potential quarterbacks for the Las Vegas Raiders next season, there remained an outside chance that the team could choose to bring back Jarrett Stidham, who started the final two games after the team chose to move on from Derek Carr.
Though the Raiders lost both games, Stidham played solid, completing 63.9% of his passes for 656 yards and four touchdowns to three interceptions. But as a free agent, he has chosen to go elsewhere though it won’t be too far.
According to Ian Rapaport of NFL Network, Stidham has agreed to a two-year contract with the AFC West rival Denver Broncos:
Sources: Former #Raiders QB Jarrett Stidham is signing a 2-year, $10M deal with the #Broncos, choosing to play for Sean Payton over other options. The deal, which includes $5M guaranteed and $4M more in upside, reunites him Davis Webb – who he has known since he was a teenager.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2023
Obviously, the Broncos are locked in at the starting quarterback position with Russell Wilson, but Stidham can slot in behind him as a backup and as Rapaport noted, he will now have the chance to play under noted QB guru Sean Payton. What this means for the Raiders quarterback room is unclear, but it feels as if Stidham feels his best chance to grow and succeed is in Denver.
The Raiders have been linked to multiple different quarterbacks since the season ended, but most of those seem to have fallen by the wayside. Tom Brady chose to retire while a potential Aaron Rodgers trade looks to be off the board with the Packers and Jets locked in on a deal should he choose to play another season.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been the name mentioned most recently as he has familiarity with head coach Josh McDaniels’ offensive system and is a proven winner in this league. Garoppolo now appears to be the guy for the Raiders, with the news breaking shortly after Stidham left the team that they’ve agreed to terms with the veteran quarterback.
The Raiders and Stidham have parted ways and all eyes will remain on the silver and black to see who ultimately will be under center when the 2023 season begins. Perhaps Stidham and the Raiders will cross paths when they meet with the Broncos this season which could make for a fun storyline in those games, though a Broncos-Raiders game needs no extra motivation.
