Dec 22, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin (14) during the first half against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
When the 2013 NFL season ended with Terrelle Pryor closing out the season as a starter against the Denver Broncos after Matt McGloin was under center for much of the second half of the year the writing was on the wall that the Oakland Raiders would be looking for a different quarterback to lead them in 2014 after mixed results from both.
It was also assumed that McGloin would be the most likely to stick around as the Raiders backup, after all the rookie had a longer contract and seemed much more willing. The Penn State product has spent most of his offseason working out with former NFL/CFL star Jeff Garcia as well as Raiders wide receivers while Terrelle Pryor has also been working out hard this offseason, but has been reported to have asked to be moved out of Oakland.
With former Texans starter Matt Schaub in the fold and ready to start for the Raiders in 2014 barring a massive shake up during training camp and the preseason, McGloin has the inside track to assume the role of backup for this season ahead of whoever the team potential drafts at quarterback. Last year’s most surprising undrafted free agent also has now went on the record to express his excitement in the opportunity to learn from a proven quarterback in Schaub after a year where the Raiders were led by two unproven prospects in McGloin and Pryor.
From CSN Bay Area.
"“He reached out to me and we talked, so it’s going to be great,” McGloin said last week. “I’m really looking forward to being around him and learning from him.”“It will be good to work with Matt Schaub each and every day and learn as much as I can from him,” McGloin said. “Just being around him, to see how he works and try to pick up on anything at all that he does (will help). I’m really looking forward to that, and being around a lot of the other veterans too.”"
Learning under Schaub and honing his skills on the sidelines is a must for McGloin, who despite showcasing his underrated arm and ability to make big plays downfield is still very much a project after going through the 2013 NFL Draft unselected. McGloin’s main issue is adjusting his lack of height to the NFL level, something that will come with experience that Raiders head coach Dennis Allen hopes he can get and feels is the missing ingredient.
“With Matt, it’s all about experience,” Allen said in March at the NFL owners meetings to CSN Bay Area’s Scott Bair. “It’s all about getting the reps in practice. It’s going to be about getting the reps in the preseason games and gaining experience, because there’s no better teacher than experience. I think that’s the one thing, when you look at Matt, that he lacks.
“I think it’ll be a great opportunity for him to fall in behind a guy like Matt Schaub and see how a guy who’s been successful in this league plays the quarterback position both on and off the field.”
Regardless of how Raiders fans feel about McGloin, namely stealing the starting job away from fan favorite Terrelle Pryor last season, there is no denying that the rookie showed off some intriguing promise and potential through the air. Much has been made of McGloin’s work ethic to become a starter in his rookie year after being undrafted and lowly regarded quarterback coming out of the depths of Penn State’s decline in the wake of the scandal that rocked their football program. If McGloin can continue that positive attitude and work ethic in a return to a full backup role in 2014 there will be a place for him on the Raiders roster for years to come.