Brian Hoyer relishes role of backup QB and mentor for Raiders

It’s a situation the Raiders would rather not contemplate, but given the injury history of their quarterback, one they have to be ready to deal with.

Which makes Brian Hoyer one of the team’s most important players.

The 15-year veteran is the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo at the most important position on the field. If Garoppolo gets hurt — and his career-long battle with injuries suggests that’s a possibility — Hoyer would be the next man up.

That happened, in a sense, Wednesday when Garoppolo, operating on a preplanned practice schedule as he continues to rehab from surgery on a broken foot he suffered last season, hit his designated pitch count and left the field with about 20 minutes remaining in practice.

That meant Hoyer finished the morning workout as the starting quarterback.

“It’s about keeping yourself on your toes and being ready to go,” Hoyer said.

Once the season starts, support from Hoyer might come in the form of taking over at quarterback or, more ideally for the Raiders, making sure rookie Aidan O’Connell, a fourth-round draft pick from Purdue, is prepared to move into the starting role.

Welcome to the world of Brian Hoyer, who has spent the majority of his career fluctuating among jobs ranging from backup to starter to veteran mentor. It’s a role he has learned to appreciate.

“He really does a great job of understanding his assignment (and) also understanding how he may help others,” coach Josh McDaniels said.

Hence, the equal measure of satisfaction Hoyer will experience should he have to replace Garoppolo or should his mentorship to O’Connell prepare the rookie to step in and produce.

“Definitely part of my responsibility,” Hoyer said of his role in preparing O’Connell.

He had a similar role in New England the past few years getting young quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe prepared to play for the Patriots. In Jones’ case, McDaniels was the offensive coordinator at the time.

Hoyer spent 2017 to 2021 playing under McDaniels. And while he appeared in only 15 games and made two starts, his command of McDaniels’ offense was such that the Patriots were never hesitant to turn to him in an emergency or trust him as a mentor.

How well does he know McDaniels’ offense? Let’s just say if McDaniels randomly pulled a play out of a hat and threw it at Hoyer, he could execute it.

“I’m at the point where I’ve run it at some point,” Hoyer said. “It might have been five years ago, it might have been last week, but there’s not really much that gets called that will surprise me.”

So it shouldn’t have been a surprise when Hoyer immediately sought a reunion with McDaniels when the Patriots released him in the offseason.

“There was only one place I was going to play, and that was with Josh,” Hoyer said.

The Raiders were in flux at quarterback after releasing Derek Carr and signing Garoppolo, then drafting O’Connell.

Hoyer offered the perfect blend for the two and second-year prospect Chase Garbers. And with the Raiders offering the chance to hook up with McDaniels again, the two-year, $4 million contract Hoyer agreed to practically wrote itself.

“When the opportunity presented itself, it was something that I didn’t want to pass up,” Hoyer said.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.