The Raiders wanted an experienced backup quarterback behind Derek Carr, and got one Friday by signing Mike Glennon.
Now they hope he never plays. It's still a vital role in meeting rooms and on-the-field, should an emergency arise on game day. Young bucks can get caught in the headlights. Veterans won't be as good as the starter, but can generally function better being inserted into a game without many practice reps.
He has hopped into action during five seasons and has 22 starts, meaning he can handle short-relief or a stretch as the starter.
That calms some fan's nerves after the Raiders released AJ McCarron, who has already signed with the Houston Texans, leaving Nathan Peterman as the only non-Carr quarterback on the roster.
Glennon steps into the No. 2 slot having completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 5,107 yards and 35 touchdowns with 20 interceptions over five seasons.
Peterman is still with the Raiders on a futures contract, and is the No. 3 guy at the moment.
Many will look at the signing and wonder if it impacts the possibility of drafting a quarterback next month. It's hard to rule anything out, but the disciplined choice would be to address the pass rush early and often in the 2019 NFL Draft, though a quarterback could get taken later in the selection process.
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But…having Glennon on the roster won't prohibit the Raiders from taking Kyler Murray or Dwayne Haskins. Would the Raiders eliminate the prospect of taking Quinnen Williams because interior pass rushers P.J. Hall and Maurice Hurst were drafted last year? Absolutely not.
A edge rusher is the team's most pressing need and must be addressed with quality and quantity before the season starts.
The Raiders don't have to take a quarterback now in the draft, and adding Glennon takes the pressure off the demand to get another one down the line. Glennon should be viewed as a reliable backup who can step into service if Carr isn't available.
