The Big Lead

Nathan Peterman Could Make Twice as Much as Cam Newton This Season

By Stephen Douglas

Derek Carr shows Nathan Peterman how to throw a football.
Derek Carr shows Nathan Peterman how to throw a football. / Christian Petersen/Getty Images
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Nathan Peterman looks like he will make the Las Vegas Raiders' final roster. In fact, the Raiders went through the trouble of reworking Peterman's contract which you would think they wouldn't bother with if they were about to cut him.

Yesterday we talked about how Josh Rosen might become Ryan Fitzpatrick. Who knows what Nathan Peterman might hope to become because he is three years older with a much worse track record. Despite the fact that Rosen has had more opportunities, Peterman has failed more spectacularly at every turn.

Peterman is the owner of one of the worst quarterback performances ever. Starting a game for a playoff team as a rookie, he completed just six of 14 pass attempts for 66 yards and threw five interceptions in a single half. His next-most notable game was when he aired the ball out in Week 17 of the 2018 season, completing 31 passes on 49 attempts. He managed to collect only 188 yards and threw three picks.

On his career, he has thrown just three touchdown passes and 12 interceptions and completed just 52 percent of his pass attempts. There is no indication that he will ever be even mediocre. The fact that Gruden keeps praising him and views him as a "development QB prospect" should be extremely troubling for the Raiders.

Not to mention Peterman remaining on an NFL roster is yet another example of the NFL not really addressing the Colin Kaepernick issue. If you want to argue that he deserves to be on an NFL roster more than Colin Kaepernick you are either lying or dumb.

With the reworked deal, Peterman will collect a million dollars this year. Guaranteed. That's nearly twice what Cam Newton is guaranteed. Obviously, when it is all said and done Cam will make more than Peterman, but what kind of system is this? These numbers are jarring to look at.

The only six zeroes Peterman should be associated with this season are on his stat line. If the Raiders end up with Peterman playing this season, the pandemic won't be the only thing keeping fans from attending games.