Getty Jimmy Garoppolo, Raiders
One of the risks that come when you sign Jimmy Garoppolo to a contract to be your quarterback in the NFL, as the Raiders did last spring, is injury. And a quirk in Garoppolo’s Raiders contract, ESPN insider Adam Schefter pointed out, docks him $90,000 every time he misses a game through an “active roster bonus.”
Garoppolo missed Week 4 with a concussion and missed Sunday’s Week 7’s loss to the Bears with a back injury. Schefter also reported that Garoppolo is expected back next week.
Wrote Schefter on Twitter (X): “Raiders’ QB Jimmy Garoppolo has a $90,000 per-game-active-roster bonus that he misses out on for each game that he doesn’t play. Garoppolo now has missed out on $180,000 in roster bonuses the past two weeks, but he’s expected to start making it back next Monday night.”
In his career since leaving New England, where he was a backup to Tom Brady, Garoppolo has essentially played only two healthy seasons, in 2019 when the 49ers went to the Super Bowl and in 2021 when they went to the NFC championship. Garoppolo’s foot injury last season opened the path for the 49ers to give a chance to then-rookie Brock Purdy, who has since taken over the starting job.
Jimmy Garoppolo, Raiders Amended Contract
The Raiders signed Jimmy Garoppolo to a contract in March, but the sides had to amend the deal in May to reflect ongoing concerns about his foot injury and the fear that he might not be able to suit up at all for the team.
Garoppolo has played five games for the Raiders this season, and has posted a 3-2 record with 1,079 yards and a 68% completion rate. He has thrown seven touchdowns and, even with two missed games, he leads the NFL in interceptions at eight. His career interception rate was 2.6% before coming to Las Vegas, but it is 5.4% this year.
The roster bonus language was part of the deal when Garoppolo originally signed the three-year, $72.75 million pact, which breaks down to $24.25 million per year. As reported by Pro Football Talk, $1.53 million of that salary comes from a “per-game roster bonus” and also includes, “up to $1.5 million in playing time and playoffs incentives each year.”
McDaniels Defends Replacement Choice
The loss was a significant one for the Raiders, who are now tied for 11th in the conference after failing to convert an opportunity against what had been a one-win Bears team.
Coach Josh McDaniels, again under fire after a disappointing showing, tried to defend his decision to play 37-year-old Brian Hoyer instead of 25-year-old rookie Aidan O’Connell.
“This isn’t the pre-season any more, you know what I mean?” he said on Sunday night. “We had an entire week of practice in L.A., most of the week. We had an opportunity to practice him. There were some good things. There was some other things that we needed to work on and fix and obviously get better and improve. Such is life in that regard. When your starter is not available, you’re trying to make what you think is the best decision for the team.”
McDaniels did not confirm Schefter’s report that Garoppolo will be healthy for Week 8, but he did say that he will play if he is ready.
“That’s a medical thing for me right now,” McDaniels said. “I mean, if he’s healthy, yes, he’ll play.”
And according to Garoppolo’s Raiders contract, he will collect $90 grand along the way.