This was the week the Raiders had to make their decision whether to activate Marcus Mariota or put him on season-ending injured reserve. He had been returned to practice on September 30th which opened the 21-day window for them to decide whether he would be placed on the active roster. That 21 days was up today and the team made his activation official.
The 26-year-old had been placed on injured reserve to begin the season, which meant he would have to remain there at least three weeks before returning to practice. Once the three weeks was up, he returned to practice, so everything appears to be on schedule for the former number two overall pick.
Mariota was signed this offseason to a contract that made him one of the highest paid backups in the league with a base salary of $7.5 million for 2020 and playing time incentives that upped his base to $17 million should he become a starter.
Nathan Peterman has been Derek Carr’s primary backup in Mariota’s absence. Whether Peterman remains on the roster with Mariota back is not yet known. The team carried three quarterbacks much of last season with Mike Glennon and DeShone Kizer backing up Carr. This year, however, they’ve had just two, with the option of calling up Kizer from the practice squad at a moment’s notice. Kizer was cut from the practice squad when Mariota returned to practice three weeks ago. Should Peterman be waived, that’s where he would likely be headed.
As of right now, the Raiders have 53 players on the roster, so no immediate corresponding move was necessary.
