The Raiders are handing Jimmy Garoppolo the keys to the franchise after moving on from Derek Carr this offseason. Although “Jimmy G” isn’t in the “elite” quarterback category, he’s still a viable option to lead the Silver and Black. Recently, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins reiterated that notion.
In fact, Cousins spoke about the fact that the 31-year-old player has not received the respect he deserves in the NFL. As it turns out, Garoppolo isn’t alone in lacking respect across the NFL. The league’s top running backs reportedly organized a meeting to address the lack of respect their position is receiving in the current free-agent market. Let’s examine all of this further.
Kirk Cousins hands Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo his flowers
The Raiders’ new starting quarterback is a typical game manager. Garoppolo with the San Francisco 49ers had two tasks under center: Get the ball to their playmakers and don’t lose the game. San Francisco’s formula with Garoppolo worked as they reached Super Bowl LIV, even though the team fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Garoppolo, a two-time Super Bowl champion in his own right (with the New England Patriots), isn’t garnering headlines with his play. However, Cousins believes the Raiders’ signal-caller deserves more respect for how his career has played out.
“I kind of always scratch my head at the Jimmy Garoppolo situation in San Francisco because I know how hard it is to win in this league,” Kirk Cousins said (h/t Clutch Points). “And it seems like every time he goes out there, they win.
“And then, they’re moving on from him or trying to draft somebody and trade up, and I’m thinking, ‘It’s pretty hard to win double-digit games in this league, and that’s all they seem to do when the plays.’ So obviously, I don’t know all that goes on there, but if he does it again with the Raiders, at some point, this guy’s just a winner.”
Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels can follow the same recipe Kyle Shanahan had for Garoppolo. Las Vegas has playmakers in the passing game, and it will be up to the quarterback to distribute the football. McDaniels likely already knows the strengths and weaknesses that Garoppolo has. So he will draw up schemes that put his quarterback in a position to succeed this season for the Raiders.
Garoppolo had a 39-18 with the 49ers and a winning percentage of .684. If the Silver and Black replicate what Shanahan did, they can at least be vying for a wild card spot. Game managers are what they are. Still, it doesn’t mean the Raiders can’t reach the playoffs and make a deep run.
NFL’s top running backs meet to share free agency concerns…
The Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley contract extension sagas showed how little NFL franchises are beginning to value running backs. Las Vegas and the New York Giants failed to agree on a long-term deal with their respective players. As a result, if they play in the 2023 season, it will be on the franchise tag,
Teams invest large sums in their quarterbacks and receivers as the NFL turns into a passing game. The Raiders aren’t excluded from that trend either. In fact, they signed Garoppolo to a three-year contract with Las Vegas in March worth up to $67.5 million. Furthermore, the Silver and Black have significant money tied to their receiving corps of Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and Jakobi Meyers.
As teams like the Raiders shift away from paying top dollar to running backs, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported, citing sources, that the prominent players at the position met via Zoom on Saturday to discuss the free agency market for running backs.
Jacobs was likely a part of the meeting, although Florio’s report does not mention his name. Running backs are beginning to see the market change before their eyes due to their position taking a lot of wear and tear. Some even see their careers end before they reach 30 years old because of the mileage on their bodies.
The running game is vital in football, but the NFL isn’t making a U-Turn. All the rule changes have benefited the passing game, and teams are using their financial resources for those positions. There are running backs who will get paid. However, other players, like Jacobs, will have to wait and see if the big payday will come, if ever.
*Top Photo: Official Raiders Website