The Las Vegas Raiders have been devoid of a franchise-altering talent under center since Rich Gannon left the team after the 2004 season. Derek Carr was the closest thing the team had to a franchise quarterback, but he was replaced late in 2022 by career-backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham.
While Stidham actually filled in quite well for the Raiders, the team let him walk during the offseason and sign a contract with the Denver Broncos, a bitter AFC West division rival. Despite only playing 14 snaps for the Broncos in 2024 behind rookie quarterback Bo Nix, the team re-signed Stidham to a two-year, $12 million deal on Sunday.
Stidham has only played 404 snaps in his career but will have over $25 million in career earnings after this two-year stint with the Broncos. Having a top-flight backup quarterback is important for teams, but ideally, that player has a bit more playing experience and can mentor a young starter like Nix.
This contract does call into question how much Sean Payton and the Denver front office believe in their young quarterback's abilities or his durability because Stidham's deal is worth more than Nix's. The team has several other positions of need that could be addressed with $12 million, but Payton seems to love his quarterbacks.
The writing is on the wall for former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson, who will likely land with another franchise this offseason. But Stidham, the former Raider, will remain in the AFC West on a lucrative contract for a backup quarterback.
