Between now and free agency, there are going to be a ton of quarterbacks mentioned for the Raiders. But one of the most obvious fits is Jimmy Garoppolo, who is scheduled to become a free agent next month.
Garoppolo has been very successful in San Francisco, but his ties to Josh McDaniels are what make him such an intriguing fit. Could he be the next stop-gap quarterback for the Raiders after Derek Carr?
In a recent article by Greg Rosenthal of NFL.com, he believes that Garoppolo would be an even better fit with Las Vegas than he was in San Fran. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the veteran quarterback:
“I’ve always believed that Jimmy Garoppolo would have had a better career in New England than he did in San Francisco. Garoppolo’s best, most instinctive play came when he was in Josh McDaniels’ system. He was always a somewhat-awkward fit for Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and shouldn’t cost that much for Las Vegas to test drive.”
The appeal in signing Garoppolo for the Raiders is that it wouldn’t cost them a pick to acquire him and he gives them competent play at the QB position. They could decide to use their top picks to build the offensive line around him or draft a quarterback to sit behind him for a year.
Given all of the New England connections, this does feel like a very possible outcome for both parties. And while it’s not quite the same as trading for Aaron Rodgers or signing Tom Brady, it does give them quality quarterback play right away.
