Raiders release QB Brian Hoyer

Friday the Raiders made probably the most expected cuts of the offseason. The team released Brian Hoyer. This according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The veteran backup was signed last offseason to backup Jimmy Garoppolo. He would get just one shot at starting and looked completely out of his depth; throwing for no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Then when Josh McDaniels was fired and Antonio Pierce took over as interim head coach, he benched Garoppolo, but it wasn’t Hoyer who was named the starter, it was rookie Aidan O’Connell. While Hoyer was rendered inactive the remainder of the season.

Hoyer’s release frees up $2.6 million with just $92K in dead money.

For all these factors, Hoyer was as good as gone well before last season was over. And it looks like a pretty strong likelihood Garoppolo — and his $17 million in cap savings — will be following Hoyer out the door in short order.

Story originally appeared on Raiders Wire