Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Las Vegas Raiders crashed back down to earth following a 38-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The team still doesn’t appear ready to compete with the upper echelon of the AFC.
The New York Jets are coming off an upset win over the Bills despite star quarterback Aaron Rodgers getting hurt three plays into the game. With Rodgers out for the year, the Jets gave the keys to Zach Wilson, who threw three interceptions in a 30-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
New York is in win-now mode while the Raiders might be closer to a rebuild. Jimmy Garoppolo hasn’t been the savior for Las Vegas as he’s thrown three interceptions in two games. If the Jets are serious about trying to get to the playoffs this year while the Raiders are more focused on developing young players, New York could consider calling about Garoppolo.
The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen posed the question of the Jets offering a first-round pick for the quarterback in a September 11 X post.
Hypothetically, if the Jets offered the Raiders a first for Garoppolo, would you take it?
It’s still early in the season and the Raiders aren’t out of the playoff race yet. There’s also a chance that Wilson has improved and just struggled against an incredible Cowboys defense. A trade isn’t going to happen now but it could be a situation to watch if the Raiders keep losing and the Jets are held back by Wilson.
What It Would Take for Las Vegas Raiders to Make QB Trade
The 2024 NFL Draft is going to be loaded with high-end quarterback talent. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Shedeur Sanders are just a few of the big names expected to be available. Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t an elite quarterback but he has a 41-18 record over his career so it’s possible to win games with him.
However, the Raiders lack talent on defense, which is going to make it difficult to win a lot of games without a dynamic quarterback. The team won’t give up on the season yet and the trade deadline isn’t until October 31, which is right after the Week 8 matchup Detroit Lions. The only way the Raiders would realistically consider a trade of Garoppolo is if the team is 2-6 or 1-7. If that happens, there’s no reason to pay a 31-year-old quarterback $24.25 million a year if a team like the Jets is willing to dangle a high draft pick.
Jimmy Garoppolo Talks Loss to Buffalo Bills
Jimmy Garoppolo impressed in his Raiders debut against the Denver Broncos and led the team to a 17-16 win. He wasn’t as effective against the Bills as he missed open receivers and threw two costly interceptions. The Bills are one of the premier teams in the AFC so it’s important to play clean football.
Garoppolo acknowledged that he wasn’t good enough in the loss.
“I made way too many mistakes, physical and mental, and we couldn’t get into a rhythm,” Garoppolo said during his September 17 postgame media availability. “To beat a good team at their place, you have to play a lot better than that. They just took advantage of us.”
Garoppolo missed much of the offseason as he recovered from a foot injury so it’s not a surprise he’s a bit inconsistent to start the season.
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Could Raiders Trade Jimmy Garoppolo to AFC Team If Season Goes Off Rails?