After nine seasons with Derek Carr as their starting quarterback, the Las Vegas Raiders will try someone different this year. The AFC West squad recently signed Jimmy Garoppolo, but his health status has set off the team’s alarms towards the upcoming campaign.
The Raiders want to forget what they did last year. The team ended the 2023 NFL season with a 6-11 record, which led to a tough decision. The organization released Derek Carr, looking for a change in their offense in order to compete in the AFC West.
During this offseason, the Raiders searched for a veteran quarterback to replace Carr. After not being able to trade for Aaron Rodgers, they found Jimmy Garoppolo in the free agency. However, his latest update regarding his health might scare the team and their fans.
Jimmy Garoppolo’s latest health update sets off Raiders alarms
Las Vegas has high hopes on what Jimmy Garoppolo can do for them. The two-time Super Bowl champion wants to prove he still has what it takes to be a starting quarterback, and the Raiders definitely need an elite player to finally compete in the AFC West.
This will be the third team for Garoppolo in the NFL. He was Tom Brady’s backup at the New England Patriots for three years, where he won two Super Bowl rings. Then, he joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, but he was unable to succed with them and became a free agent once the 2022 season ended.
Last season, Garoppolo took San Francisco’s offense after Trey Lance got injured. However, he only played 11 games due to a foot problem, which apparently is still giving him a hard time this year.
According to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, Garoppolo underwent a foot surgery in March no one outside the team knew about. A source called it a “clean-up” procedure, and it seems like his progress is going well. Unfortunately, he hasn’t yet been cleared to practice.
NFL Media reported that Garoppolo won’t return until training camp. “You won’t see him today,” Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said. “No, he’s going through his process just like we knew he would. Nothing has happened that would surprise us based on the information we had.”
