Hoyer has traveled a winding road filled with highs and lows over the course of his 14-year NFL career. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State in 2009, signing with the Patriots and serving as Tom Brady’s backup until 2012. After stops in Pittsburgh and Arizona, Hoyer found his way into the starting lineup in Cleveland, where a hot start as a replacement for Brandon Weeden earned him plenty of buzz in his hometown. An ACL injury cut his season short in 2013, but he did enough to earn the starting job entering 2014.
A hot start to the 2014 campaign saw Hoyer lead the Browns to a 6-3 record before struggles and the presence of first-round selection Johnny Manziel prompted Cleveland to replace him with the rookie. Cleveland’s season entered a tailspin with Manziel, and by the time Hoyer returned, it was too late to save the Browns from their 7-9 finish.
Hoyer moved on to Houston in 2015, starting nine games and posting a 5-4 record. Since then, he’s returned to a preferred backup role, spending time in New England (completing second and third stints), San Francisco and Indianapolis. He became familiar with McDaniels in the last three seasons, appearing in two games over that span.
He’ll fill a similar role in Las Vegas behind Garoppolo, forming two-thirds of a quarterbacks room with multiple years of experience playing under McDaniels’ direction. At this stage in Hoyer’s career, he’s not expected to prove himself as a legitimate starter but can be trusted to step in and execute when needed.
With Garoppolo’s injury history in mind, it is wise to add veteran insurance behind him. Hoyer will move west with the goal of filling such a role.