The Las Vegas Raiders need a new starting quarterback after releasing Derek Carr, who since has joined the New Orleans Saints ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
Could Jimmy Garoppolo be their guy?
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported Monday, shortly before the league's legal tampering period began, that the Raiders were expected to be in on Garoppolo, with the sides having some mutual interest.
Rapoport expanded on that report on NFL Network, pointing to the familiarity that exists between Garoppolo and several members of the Raiders organization, including head coach Josh McDaniels.
"I would expect him to see significant interest from the Las Vegas Raiders," Rapoport said. "They are expected to pursue Jimmy Garoppolo as potentially their next starting quarterback. This should really not be a surprise. There are a lot of familiar faces in the Las Vegas Raiders, including, of course, Josh McDaniels, his old coach with the New England Patriots.
"As of right now, they do not have a starting quarterback. Obviously, Jarrett Stidham is someone who came in and played some games last year. I know there's certainly still interest in him, but Garoppolo makes a lot of sense, guys. And if you're Jimmy G, obviously you have a couple of options here -- one of those potentially could be the New York Jets, although they're waiting for Aaron Rodgers. I don't know how long everyone is going to continue to wait for that. But if you're the Raiders, you see an opening, you see Jimmy Garoppolo out there, this one makes a lot of sense."
Garoppolo, a second-round pick in 2014, spent three-plus seasons with the Patriots before New England traded him to the San Francisco 49ers, his franchise for the past six years. McDaniels was the Patriots' offensive coordinator during that stretch in Foxboro, during which Garoppolo backed up Tom Brady, and thus it's easy to connect the dots as the veteran QB hits NFL free agency this offseason.
ESPN's Adam Schefter also mentioned Las Vegas as a potential landing spot for Garoppolo, lending further credence to the rumor. The Raiders might not be alone in their pursuit, though, as Schefter noted Monday, per league sources, that the Houston Texans are expected to pursue Garoppolo, as well.
