For months the biggest question surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders was who would be their quarterback next season and now we finally have the answer.
According to Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini of ESPN, the Raiders have agreed to a deal with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo worth $67.5 million:
Garoppolo has been a name that has been linked to the Raiders prior to the free agency period beginning as they were believed to be one of the teams who would have interest in him. As it turns out the interest was real and now he will begin the next stage of his career in silver and black.
The former 49ers quarterback has had a lot of success in his career, first in New England as the backup to Tom Brady before being traded to San Francisco. In six seasons with the 49ers, he posted a 38-17 record as a starter, throwing for 13,599 yards and 82 touchdowns. His best season came in 2019 when he threw for 3,978 yards and 27 touchdowns while leading the 49ers to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance.
The main issue for Garoppolo has been his ability to stay healthy. He suffered a torn ACL in 2018, limiting him to just three games. Ankle issues caused him to suit up just six times in 2020 while last season a foot injury ended his year after just 10 games.
But when he is on the field Garoppolo has proven to be a winner who can do great things when surrounded by the right talent and the Raiders certainly have that. DaVante Adams proved to still be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL last season while Josh Jacobs was a First-Team All-Pro selection who led the NFL in rushing yards. With tight end Darren Waller and slot receiver Hunter Renfrow, Garoppolo has a ton of weapons at his disposal.
It also helps that Garoppolo is familiar with the offensive system of Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels who served as his offensive coordinator during his time with the Patriots. That familiarity should lessen the learning curve and help him get on the same page with his teammates.
Now with the quarterback position set, it would seem as if the Raiders can now focus elsewhere with the rest of free agency and the upcoming draft to ensure their roster is ready to compete in the AFC West.
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