ESPN Predicts Chase Garbers Will Not Make Raiders' 53-Man Roster

The former Cal quarterback might wind up on the Las Vegas practice squad, according to the site's assessment

Former Cal quarterback Chase Garbers will start the 2022 season on the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad and not on the regular-season roster, or so says the prediction of ESPN.com

ESPN.com is predicting the final 53-man rosters for all NFL teams, and it started on Saturday morning with projections for teams that played their final preseason games Thursday and Friday. NFL teams must get down to their 53-man, regular-season roster by Tuesday.

Garbers has played pretty well in the Raiders’ four preseason games (Las Vegas was one of two teams that played four preseason games rather than three), and, as the No. 3 quarterback on the Raiders depth chart, there seemed to be a good chance he would make the regular-season roster if the Raiders kept three quarterbacks.

However, ESPN.com Raiders reporter Paul Gutierrez predicts the Raiders will keep only two quarterbacks, which means Garbers won’t make the regular-season roster if this assessment is correct. Here is what Gutierrez says about the quarterback position on the Raiders' final roster:

QUARTERBACK (2):

Derek Carr, Jarett Stidham

Stidham's preseason play and the trade of Nick Mullens makes carrying only two QBs on the initial 53-man roster more palatable. Especially if Chase Garbers can be stashed on the practice squad. Plus, it gives the Raiders more flexibility to find another roster spot somewhere else.

Interestingly, Gutierrez suggests keeping two quarterbacks makes sense particularly if the Raiders can “stash” Garbers on the practice squad. That suggests Garbers has impressed the Raiders enough that they want to keep him somehow and not let him go to another team.

Signing with a practice squad would not be a major disappointment for Garbers, considering he was not taken in the 2022 NFL draft and signed with the Raiders as a free agent.

Not making the regular-season roster would not end Garbers’ chance to be an NFL quarterback. Johnny Unitas and Kurt Warner were both cut before the start of the regular season in their first attempt to make NFL rosters, and both ended up in the Hall of Fame.

Let’s be clear here, though. This projection is in no way official. The Raiders won’t show their hand for another day or two, and it’s still possible Garbers will make the 53-man roster.

In Friday's game, Garbers was the Raiders' quarterback for 10 offensive possessions, including a final kneel-down series. He finished 12-for-22 for 141 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions, and he ran eight times for 17 yards, including three kneel-downs that netted -3 yards. Garbers led the team to two field goals and a touchdown on the nine meaningful drives.

In the Raiders’ four preseason games, Garbers was 24-for-40 for 248 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He rushed for 44 rushing yards last week, but he was sacked twice last week and twice on Friday.

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Cover photo of Chase Garber by Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA TODAY Sports

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