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Even with a new culture in place, the Las Vegas Raiders can’t escape an offseason without some sort of controversy. The decision to move on from Derek Carr was a tough one but it was justifiable if the team made an upgrade. They ended up signing Jimmy Garoppolo, who most believe is a worse quarterback than Carr.
To make matters worse, it has recently been revealed that Garoppolo had to undergo foot surgery upon his Raiders signing and isn’t expected to be ready to practice before training camp. For a quarterback coming to a new team, that’s very concerning. While head coach Josh McDaniels has downplayed the significance of Garoppolo’s injury, there is a worry that he might not ever even play for the team if he doesn’t get healthy before the season. Ben Violin of the Boston Globe called the Garoppolo news a “disaster” for the Raiders and called out the team for how they’ve gone about the situation:
But there’s a big difference between a running back missing offseason workouts and a new starting quarterback doing it. Garoppolo is the leader of the offense and has to learn new teammates, new linemen, and a new scheme that will be significantly different than the one he ran in San Francisco the last six years.
Even the best QBs know they need as much work as they can get with a new team. Aaron Rodgers is participating in voluntary workouts as he joins the Jets. Brady broke COVID rules in the spring of 2020 to work with his new Buccaneers receivers. With no on-field work this spring, Garoppolo and the Raiders’ offense will be behind the rest of the league when they get to training camp.
There’s also a chance that Garoppolo never suits up for the Raiders.
Why Would Raiders Still Sign Garoppolo Knowing He Was Hurt?
The Raiders knew Garoppolo was going to need surgery before he signed his contract. That is what led the team to put a clause in his contract that would allow them to cut him without any financial penalty if he can’t pass a physical. It’s a move that would’ve made sense if the Raiders were planning to draft a quarterback in the first round this year but that wasn’t the case. The team waited until the fourth round to take a quarterback.
Las Vegas is confident that Garoppolo will be able to play but he’s going to be behind on things once training camp starts. Also, he has an extensive injury history so there’s reason the team should be cautious. It doesn’t make sense to sign an injured Garoppolo without a clear backup plan unless the team is planning to tank for Caleb Williams.
What Will Raiders Do if Jimmy G Can’t Play?
Right now, the Raiders don’t appear to have a plan to add another quarterback. Aidan O’Connell, Brian Hoyer and Chase Garbers are the active quarterbacks on the roster right now. Hoyer has been taking first-team reps in practice and would likely start in Week 1 if Garoppolo can’t play. That’s not ideal considering he hasn’t won a start since 2016.
The team could roll the dice on O’Connell but expecting to have success with a rookie fourth-round pick is a risky proposition. If Garoppolo isn’t healthy and the Raiders don’t make another move at quarterback, it’s clear that they aren’t concerned about winning a lot of games this season.
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