As the Derek Carr era closes, the Las Vegas Raiders may already have their next quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo. “Jimmy G” and head coach Josh McDaniels have a connection due to their time spent in New England together. Even when McDaniels was a coaching candidate years ago.
Report: One Team Believes Josh McDaniels Could Pursue Trade For Jimmy Garoppolo Upon Taking HC Job https://t.co/6csnVeoGJ0 #NFL pic.twitter.com/66OQy4Oawu
— NFLTradeRumors.co (@nfltrade_rumors) January 6, 2017
The old flame has again been rekindled because Garoppolo is set to be an unrestricted free agent six years later. However, for the Silver and Black, it may not matter if the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback is coming to Las Vegas – but when?
Jimmy Garoppolo Is The ‘Raiders’ Best Option in One Aspect
While the reasons why Derek Carr won’t be returning to the Raiders remains unknown – speculation could quickly point toward salary cap space. The former starter would have been a top-five paid signal caller in 2023 if general manager David Ziegler had allowed Carr to stay. With Jimmy Garoppolo freshly coming off some injury-riddled seasons, he could command an affordable price tag without the team having to give up additional draft capital in comparison to trade for the likes of Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson. In addition, he could work on a ‘prove it’ style contract that allows the team to address the multiple needs of the group. Which, in reality, could bear witness to a playoff-caliber squad sooner rather than later.
Can Josh McDaniels Bring Out the Best of Jimmy G Once More?
A tiger does not change its stripes, and it is essential to remember that the New England Patriots organization drafted Jimmy Garoppolo and not the San Francisco 49ers. Why? Because the way that Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Kyle Shanahan operate are similar yet entirely different. In simple terms, Shanahan runs a zone-based smashmouth rushing attack with predominant bunch formations. In addition, there is an emphasis on deep shots downfield while under center. For McDaniels’ scheme, there are more spread/quick hitter concepts. In 2016, when he started four games in the then-suspended Tom Brady’s stead, he flashed the ability to thrive in the quick game.
As you can see, McDaniels brought out the best numbers of the former second-round picks career for four starts in 2016. While the sample size is small, spending three years with an individual can teach anyone a lot. For the Las Vegas Raiders, Garoppolo is the familiar and potentially most cost-efficient option for the next starter in Sin City in 2023.
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*Top Photo: New England Patriots Media Team