Jimmy Garoppolo Landing Spots: Where could suspended Raiders QB land in 2024?
Jimmy Garoppolo's stock with the Las Vegas Raiders fell even further today with two bad pieces of news dropping on the same day. He has been suspended for the first two league games of the coming season for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug (PED) policy. This comes because he reportedly used prescribed medication without a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption.
It was further reported that the Raiders are set to move on from him after they brought him in just last year, expecting him to be the franchise quarterback. Former interim coach Antonio Pierce dropped him after he posted figures of seven touchdowns and nine interceptions up to that point.
Now that Pierce is the head coach, the end of the road seems near for Jimmy Garoppolo in Las Vegas. With that in mind, here are some spots the quarterback could land in as he seeks to resurrect his career:
Potential landing spots for Jimmy Garoppolo after his Raiders career ends
#1 - New England Patriots
Jimmy Garoppolo could go back to the place where it all started. He was drafted to back up Tom Brady but forged his own career elsewhere in the face of prolonged longevity at the highest level by Brady. But those days have since passed in New England. The Patriots have moved on from Bill Belichick and there is a concern about who will be their franchise quarterback this season.
Mac Jones struggled last year and lost his place to Bailey Zappe, who himself has not fully convinced that he should be given the reins. While it is eminently possible that they will draft a quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo could be an experienced hand who can guide a rookie while he learns the ropes in the NFL.
#2 - New York Giants
The New York Giants had a terrible year after beginning the 2023 season with great optimism. Daniel Jones was given a mammoth contract but he flattered to deceive, albeit behind an extremely porous offensive line. While Tommy DeVito provided a feel-good story, he has not shown that he can be the starter for the long term yet.
Given how the Giants' offense is structured and depends on the run game by Saquon Barkley, this might be a good fit for Jimmy Garoppolo. It will ensure that interceptions, which is what hamstrung him last season, can be mitigated by keeping the ball on the ground. The Raiders quarterback will initially likely be the backup but have a chance to fight for the starting spot.
#3 - New York Jets
If anybody had a worse season than Jimmy Garoppolo, it must be Zach Wilson. The Jets quarterback was supposed to be the backup to Aaron Rodgers but became the starter after the future Hall-of-Famer went down injured in his first game. And he did not do well enough to convince people that he was reliable enough to even be the second quarterback in the room.
Jets fans would have been sick to see their former quarterback Joe Flacco lead the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs while they sat on the outside looking in. That might convince those in New York that having an experienced backup might not be such a bad idea, given Rodgers will be returning from injury and is not getting any younger.
The Raiders look likely to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo after his performance last year, and in addition to the fact he will be suspended to begin the coming season, it does not seem probable he will be an immediate starter. That said, the teams listed above might find value in letting him compete for the job as a reliable backup.