Gruden hopes to ‘restart’ Peterman
After fielding a third straight question about new practicesquad quarterback Nathan
Peterman on Thursday, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden pumped the brakes.
“He’s on the practice squad right now,” Gruden said. “I want to reiterate that to everybody.” With lone backup A.J.
McCarron in Alabama for the birth of his son, Gruden said, the Raiders needed another quarterback this week and signed Peterman, whose turnover-prone play led the Bills to release him last month.
Gruden also said, though, there is a “good chance” that Peterman will remain with the Raiders for the next two weeks and into the offseason.
“Hopefully, we can take him into the offseason program and see if we can’t restart him and get him going,” Gruden said.
A fifth-round pick by Buffalo in 2017, Peterman endured heavy criticism after throwing five interceptions in the first half of his first NFL start. In nine games with the Bills, including a brief appearance in last year’s playoffs, Peterman completed 69 of 133 passes for 562 yards with three touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Peterman, who was released by Buffalo on Nov. 12, said Thursday of joining the Raiders: “I’m just here to watch, learn and do whatever they need.” Peterman said he’d paid little attention to the reaction to his signing Wednesday.
“I don’t watch or read anything, so I don’t see what people are saying about me,” Peterman said. “One thing you learn pretty quick is to tune out the outside noise.”
Gruden hosted Peterman on his ESPN “QB Camp” show in 2017 and Thursday recalled being impressed by the Pitt alum’s play in an upset of Clemson in 2016.
“He showed some real savvy and some real pocket presence,” Gruden said. “He’s an athletic guy. I know he’s had some problems in Buffalo — but again, we’re talking about
our practice-squad quarterback here. We’ve got a big game Monday night.”
Line updates: Gruden said he’s “feeling a little more optimistic” that left guard Kelechi
Osemele will play Monday night against Denver. Osemele, who has missed the past two games with a toe injury, practiced Thursday with a large brace on his right knee.
Right guard Gabe Jackson likely won’t need surgery for the elbow injury that led the Raiders to place him on injured reserve Tuesday, Gruden said.
“I do believe it’s a six-toeight-week recovery,” Gruden said, “so it’s a serious injury and we definitely did the right thing by putting him down.”
Finally, Gruden said it’s unlikely tackle Donald Penn will be activated from IR for the final two games. Penn, who suffered a groin injury in Week 4, was the Raiders’ second player designated to return from IR after nose tackle Justin Ellis.
“We’ll make that decision in the next few days,” Gruden said, “but it doesn’t look like he will play this year.” Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.