Raiders’ $72 Million Star Would Be ‘Natural Selection’ for Patriots if Cut

Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Jimmy Garoppolo experiment for the Las Vegas Raiders only lasted for six games before he was benched in favor of rookie fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell.

Former general manager Dave Ziegler gave the quarterback a three-year, $72.7 million contract in the offseason and whoever the next general manager is will have to figure out what to do.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes the Raiders will bring in a new general manager this offseason and if Garoppolo gets cut, he could end up with his former team.

“The Raiders will likely have a new regime in place, which tends to result in quarterback changes. Fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell has shown some promise, but whether or not they stick with O’Connell, the Raiders must do something with Jimmy Garoppolo’s contractual future,” Fowler wrote in a December 6 column. “As part of a three-year, $72.5 million deal signed in March, Garoppolo is due $24.5 million in 2024 cash, including a guaranteed roster bonus of $11.25 million. Trading him would be ideal, but that market will not be robust. The Raiders can save $13 million on the cap with a post-June 1 release.

“If Bill Belichick remains in New England in 2024 — which seems like a big if — Garoppolo would be a natural selection as a bridge free agent starter alongside a draft pick for a revamped QB room.”

Will a Team Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo?

Jimmy Garoppolo was having a rough year before he was benched. Despite having not played since Week 8, he’s tied for ninth in the NFL with nine interceptions. His 5.4% interception percentage is still the worst in the NFL.

Considering his contract, it’s difficult to imagine a team will be willing to trade for Garoppolo this offseason. There are a lot of teams that need a good starting quarterback but Garoppolo is injury prone and has had the worst season of his career.

He’ll almost certainly be able to sign with a team next offseason if he gets cut but trading him is unlikely. It’s also possible the Raiders decide to keep him as a backup. A $28 million dead cap hit is a tough pill to swallow and a $13 million dead cap hit on post-June 1 release is still a big chunk of change. The Raiders could keep him around and see if he has some trade value during the 2024 season if another team loses their starting quarterback.

Las Vegas Raiders’ Future at QB

While Jimmy Garoppolo leads the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio, Aidan O’Connell isn’t far behind in third place with 3.4%. He’s shown flashes of really good accuracy and has made some big throws but his age (25) and lack of mobility make his upside very limited.

O’Connell has five more games this season to prove that he deserves a chance to start next season. If he continues to struggle, the Raiders will likely look to address quarterback early in the 2024 NFL Draft. Who is the next quarterback may also largely depend on who is the next head coach and general manager. If Antonio Pierce and Champ Kelly get full-time jobs after the season, that would likely help O’Connell’s chances.

If the Raiders hire somebody else for both roles, it’s likely they’d want to handpick their quarterback.