We know Derek Carr won’t be the quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. But who will be? One NFL insider believes the solution could be one of head coach Josh McDaniels’ familiar friends. No, unfortunately, we’re not talking about luring Tom Brady out of retirement.
That pretty much leaves former New England Patriots QB Jimmy Garoppolo, who’s set for free agency after six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Yet, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the Raiders “are expected to pursue” Jimmy G this offseason.
Graziano cites the previous working relationship between Garoppolo and coach McDaniels, from their three years together from 2014-16, when the latter operated as New England’s QB coach/offensive coordinator. Signing Garoppolo would at least provide Las Vegas with a potential win-now solution that can help get the team back to the playoffs in the near future.
While a 31-year-old Garoppolo may not be the ultimate long-term solution the Raiders are believed to be targeting, he could be a fine stopgap that helps Las Vegas compete right away. With a pedigree that includes two Super Bowl victories as a backup, another appearance as a starter, along with a career win rate of 70%, the Raiders could do a lot worse than Garoppolo.
While Garoppolo appears to be one strong option, the Raiders have also been linked to others, such as trading for Aaron Rodgers and a collection of young quarterback prospects as they continue identifying candidates to select with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
We may still be a few weeks away from learning who will be the Raiders’ starting QB next season, but if there’s one thing that’s clear, expect the Raiders to add at least one, if not two players at the position in the next two months.
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