NFL News: Ex-Raiders GM Dave Ziegler anticipated Jimmy Garoppolo's failure

Dave Ziegler is no longer the general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders, as the team thought that he didn’t do a great job. However, he anticipated the club’s failure by warning them not to sign Jimmy Garoppolo earlier this year.

It has not been a great 2023 NFL season for the Raiders. During the offseason, they decided to part ways with Derek Carr, who joined the Saints, to search for a new quarterback to lead their offense.

They wanted to sign a veteran player for the job, and they found Jimmy Garoppolo available as a free agent. However, now the quarterback has been benched and it seems like this deal didn’t really work out for the organization.

Dave Ziegler warned the Raiders about the consequences of signing Jimmy G

Earlier this year, Josh McDaniels, former head coach of the Raiders, asked Dave Ziegler for a new quarterback. He was no longer interested in working with Derek Carr, so the team cut him in order to bring a new player to lead their offense.

Josh McDaniels had a specific profile in mind when searching for a quarterback, one that included a veteran player he knew well and who had previously excelled under his coaching. Unsurprisingly, he had already identified the ideal candidate for this role.

McDaniels asked the team’s front office to sign, no matter what, Jimmy Garoppolo. They worked together in the New England Patriots, and the head coach was sure that he was the right choice to replace Carr.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t. After nine games, Garoppolo has now been benched, but it seems like Ziegler anticipated his failure. According to Sports Illustrated’s Hondo Carpenter, the general manager didn’t want to sign him, but McDaniels insisted to.

“Dave (Ziegler) and Josh (McDaniels) disagreed on a lot,” the report say about the Raiders signing Garoppolo. “Josh was in charge. Josh wanted Jimmy Garoppolo, and Dave thought it was a terrible decision.”

A few months later, neither McDaniels nor Ziegler are with the team anymore. Antonio Pierce, the interim coach, has benched Jimmy Garoppolo, and Aidan O’Connell is now the starting quarterback.

What is Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract with the Las Vegas Raiders?

Unfortunately for the Raiders, they are tied to a 3-year, $72 million contract with Jimmy Garoppolo, with $45 million of them fully guaranteed. They saw him as the future of the franchise, but he has definitely been far from the expectations set.

Aidan O’Connell delivered an impressive performance against the New York Giants last week, diminishing Jimmy Garoppolo’s chances of reclaiming the starting role. It appears that Garoppolo will now serve as an experienced mentor to guide the 25-year-old quarterback toward success.