The Las Vegas Raiders have had quarterback issues for some time now, dating back to late in the 2022 season when Derek Carr was benched and eventually released.
They brought in veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, with the hope that he would, at the very least, be a solid placeholder who would help them get back to the playoffs.
But Garoppolo suffered through injuries and poor play, and he was benched at midseason.
Now, he has been suspended by the NFL for two games after violating its performance enhancing substances policy, and Field Yates tweeted that it could end up costing him just over $11 million in guarantees.
Being suspended has massive financial implications for Jimmy Garoppolo, as it could void the $11.25M in base salary guarantees from the Raiders he is owed, regardless of whether the team keeps him on the roster or not. https://t.co/Ima78g4cJU
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 16, 2024
Several years ago, Garoppolo was considered a rising young quarterback after filling in for Tom Brady after Brady was suspended for his role in “Deflategate.”
Garoppolo was traded in 2017 to the 49ers, and the struggling franchise felt it had found its franchise quarterback.
He got them to the Super Bowl just two years later, but after they blew a 10-point lead there to the Kansas City Chiefs, his limitations became apparent.
San Francisco traded up to draft Trey Lance in an attempt to upgrade from Garoppolo, and in 2022, they unexpectedly found an upgrade in Brock Purdy, the last player taken in the 2022 draft.
The Raiders are expected to release Garoppolo in a few weeks, which would give them lots of cap space that they could use to go after a high-level free-agent QB such as Kirk Cousins or perhaps even Russell Wilson.
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