ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have signed quarterback Matt Leinart to a contract to back up Carson Palmer.
Leinart and Jim Sorgi worked out for the Raiders on Tuesday and the team announced later in the day it had reached a deal with Leinart.
Leinart will go back to a role he had at Southern California when he was the backup in 2002 when Palmer won the Heisman Trophy. Leinart took over as starter the next season and won two national titles and a Heisman Trophy.
Leinart has started only seven games the past five seasons. He dislocated his left shoulder in his first start for Houston last year but proved he was healthy enough for the Raiders.