The Raiders decided to shake things up at the quarterback position this offseason, releasing Derek Carr and signing Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year deal. This will be the first time since 2014 that the Raiders will have a new Week 1 starter under center.
But is Jimmy Garoppolo a lock to be on the field in Week 1 when the Raiders travel to Denver to take on the Broncos? Well, it depends on who you ask.
In a recent article by Paul Gutierrez of ESPN, he speculated that there is a chance that Garoppolo never plays a down for the Raiders. Here is what he had to say about the team’s quarterback situation heading into the summer:
With quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo sidelined as he recovers from surgery to his left foot that took place after he signed with Las Vegas in March, Raider Nation turns its eyes to Brian Hoyer, Aidan O’Connell and Chase Garbers.
While Las Vegas bet on Garoppolo being ready for training camp, there remains a possibility that he never plays for the Raiders, meaning minicamp will give the 14-year vet (Hoyer), the fourth-round draft pick (O’Connell) or the second-year pro who has yet to take an NFL snap (Garbers) a leg up on the competition.
Garoppolo had to have his contract revised after he failed his physical for the Raiders. He needed to have foot surgery in May and it impacted his signing bonus.
The plan is to have him for the 2023 season, but there is a chance that the Raiders decide to move on if his foot doesn’t heal properly. However, that still seems far from likely as the Raiders seem pretty confident that he will be ready by August.
