Jimmy Garoppolo has been officially benched at the start of a new era for the Raiders. After a disappointing loss to the Detroit Lions, team owner Mark Davis made surprising decisions.
Josh McDaniels was fired as head coach, as well as general manager Dave Ziegler. Antonio Pierce and Champ Kelly will temporarily take their positions in an attempt to lead Las Vegas to the playoffs.
One of the first changes announced by Pierce was at the quarterback position. Garoppolo will no longer be the starter, and rookie Aidan O’Connell gets the opportunity.
Jimmy G was brought from the San Francisco 49ers to show why he was once considered the heir of Tom Brady with the New England Patriots. That won’t happen. Although Mark Davis was clear in stating that the Raiders were heading in the ‘wrong direction’ with McDaniels, the owner was more cautious when asked about Pierce’s choice with O’Connell leading the way on offense.
“I have no idea. That’s why they play the games. My job, my role is to give them all the tools possible for them to succeed. Once they’re the head coach and general manager, they’re the ones making the decisions.“
Jimmy Garoppolo won’t be the starter for the Raiders (Getty Images)
How long is Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract with the Raiders?
At the start of the 2023 free agency, Jimmy Garoppolo signed a three-year, $67 million contract with the Raiders. Following Derek Carr’s departure to New Orleans, he was chosen to be the franchise quarterback at the direct request of Josh McDaniels.
Now, the landscape is completely different, and no one knows for sure if Jimmy G will remain with the team. It’s important to note that the NFL Trade Deadline was on October 31st.
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Looking ahead to 2024, the big problem for the Raiders is that Garoppolo will have a cap hit of over $28 million. It’s highly unlikely that any team would take that risk considering the quarterback’s recent performances.
If Las Vegas decide to let him go, the cap hit would be $15.5 million for 2024 and $12.8 million for 2025. In either scenario, the Raiders will get huge financial losses.
Josh McDaniels has been fired by the Raiders (Getty Images)
Who will replace Jimmy Garoppolo?
In Antonio Pierce’s first major decision as head coach, Aiden O’Connell will be the starter in the upcoming game on Sunday against the New York Giants. Additionally, Bo Hardegree, who was the quarterbacks coach, will be the new offensive coordinator. Champ Kelly, the interim general manager, fully supports the move.
“The guys are rallying behind him. They’re excited to watch him get his opportunity. I was there as Antonio Pierce was speaking to the team and he had their eyes. There was an energy that was tangible in the room. There was a true excitement and guys are geared up to prepare for this weekend.”
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Who is Aidan O’Connell?
Aidan O’Connell was born on September 1, 1998, and had a standout collegiate football career with Purdue. Undoubtedly, 2021 was the year that brought him recognition, thanks to a season with 3712 yards and 28 touchdowns, which led to him displacing Jack Plummer, the previous starter.
In 2022, O’Connell once again posted impressive numbers with 3490 yards and 22 touchdowns. At the end of that season, the young quarterback decided to declare himself eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft.
Despite the Raiders signing Jimmy Garoppolo, Aiden O’Connell was selected by Las Vegas with the 135th overall pick in the Draft. This season, he already started in the Week 4 game against the Chargers, in which they lost 24-17.
