According to a recent rumor, Jimmy Garoppolo of the Las Vegas Raiders is one of the potential candidates.
On February 16, Vic Tarfur of The Athletic claimed that the Raiders intend to dismiss Garoppolo on March 13 to avoid a $11.25 million roster bonus in his contract.
Tarfur advised the Vikings sign Garoppolo, who the San Francisco 49ers chose to pair with Kyle Shanahan as a less expensive option than Cousins.
“If they decide not to re-sign Kirk Cousins for $30 million or more per year, may we suggest the poor man’s Cousins?” “He could spread the ball around in Kevin O’Connell’s offense until a later draft pick is ready to play,” Tarfur said in a February 23 article.
Jimmy Garoppolo’s Super Bowl Ceiling
Garoppolo, despite a bad year with the Raiders, has a track record of successfully directing a Shanahan-style offense, akin to Kevin O’Connell’s in Minnesota.
Garoppolo, selected by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2014 draft, was seen as Tom Brady’s successor. Garoppolo was dealt to the 49ers midseason in 2017. He won all five of his starts to conclude the year, earning a five-year, $137.5 million agreement to complete a championship-ready lineup.
Garoppolo led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2019, with the offense ranking second in points and fourth in total yardage. He returned to the NFC Championship game in 2021.
Garoppolo was playing arguably of his best football in 2022, averaging 221 yards passing per game and 16 touchdowns with only four interceptions in ten starts. He was set to play in his third conference final game, but a season-ending foot injury forced Brock Purdy to take over as starter in 2022.
Garoppolo’s ability to remain in the NFL has been hampered by injuries. In the three seasons in which Garoppolo played seven or more games in San Francisco, the 49ers had top-7 yardage offenses and twice finished in the top six in terms of points.
However, injuries paved the way for Purdy, who was the more economical alternative in Garoppolo’s last years of contract. Garoppolo was released and signed a three-year, $72 million contract with the Raiders last summer.
Jimmy Garoppolo Could Cost Half as Much as Vikings QB Kirk Cousins
The turmoil in Las Vegas led to Garoppolo’s dismal year, in which quarterback threw more interceptions (9) than touchdowns (7) for the first time in his career. He was benched after the coaching change and has since been released from the organization, searching for a fresh start.
Garoppolo’s contract with the Raiders has an average annual value of $24.25 million, which is believed to be comparable to what he may receive in free agency. He may be available at a reduced price due to his suspension for breaking the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy. According to The Athletic, he did not obtain clearance to utilize prescription medication.
The discussion between Cousins and Garoppolo boils down to whether Cousins is worth the cost as a marginally better alternative than Garoppolo.
ESPN predicts Cousins might sign a deal worth more than $50 million in free agency, raising the question of whether he is worth twice as much as Garoppolo.
The Vikings offense performed well without Cousins, achieving over 400 yards twice with Nick Mullens at quarterback.
Garoppolo might be an ideal buy-low bridge starter, capable of leading his team to a deep postseason run while the Vikings nurture a first-round rookie.
