Schroeder Signs With Bengals to Be the Backup for Klingler

Cincinnati was the beginning of the end for Jay Schroeder, the Raider, last September.

Cincinnati is where it began anew for Schroeder, the Bengal, on Friday.

The veteran quarterback, an unrestricted free agent, severed his agonizing ties with the Raiders by signing a one-year contract, with an option for a second year, with the Bengals. Schroeder, who earned $1.3 million last season, agreed to a small pay cut, the specific amount unknown, to serve as backup to 23-year-old David Klingler.

Schroeder, 31, began last season as the Raider starter. But his hold on the job was tenuousat best.

When the club lost its first two games, Schroeder lost his job to Todd Marinovich.

In the second of those two games, played at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium, Schroeder threw for 380 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. But it wasn’t enough to prevent the Raiders from losing, 24-21, in overtime.

When Marinovich failed to do the job in seven starts, Schroeder briefly won his job back, but he spent the final regular-season game on the sidelines after suffering a shoulder injury.

“I’m here to back up,” Schroeder said Friday in Cincinnati. “It was made very clear that David is the guy. I feel that I can help David a lot.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t think I can play. I’ll be ready at every drop of the hat. I’ve been through quite a bit. I’ve been up, down and all around. You just have to keep pulling yourself up.”

Schroeder has been plagued by inconsistency since leaving UCLA. He finished last season with 11 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions to give him career totals of 105 touchdowns and 99 interceptions.