Why did the Raiders sign Jimmy Garoppolo? Josh McDaniels familiarity only part of equation for Las Vegas deal

It pays to have friends in high places. 

That was the lesson for Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason as he left behind the Bay Area for Sin City, signing with the Raiders on a three-year contract to replace longtime starter Derek Carr.

If nothing else, Garoppolo gets plenty of credit for being an above-average game manager, the level that most NFL quarterbacks strive to hit as their floor. That’s the role he’s going to play once again under Josh McDaniels, with whom Garoppolo has a bit of history.

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But it took a little bit for Garoppolo to officially sign with the Raiders — and, of course, as has been the case with Jimmy GQ over the years, his health played into the saga, too.

Here’s why Garoppolo signed with the Raiders, and how he almost cost himself millions in the process:

Why did the Raiders sign Jimmy Garoppolo?

As it goes in some industries, it’s all about who — and what — you know. That turned out to be the case for Jimmy Garoppolo.

With the Raiders and Josh McDaniels deciding to move on from Derek Carr before the end of the 2023 NFL season, the team was looking to bring in a veteran starter to operate McDaniels’ offense effectively. With Las Vegas out of striking distance for a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft, it decided to bring Garoppolo in on a two-year deal. 

Garoppolo was drafted by the Patriots in 2014 and played there through the 2016 season. McDaniels was New England’s offensive coordinator for  all three seasons that Garoppolo was in a Pats uniform. 

In 2016, Garoppolo got his most extensive action as Patriots starter with Tom Brady suspended for his role in Deflategate. Garoppolo completed 68 percent of his passes with four touchdowns over a four-game stretch in which Brady was absent. 

Garoppolo (and the Patriots) parlayed that success into a trade that sent him to San Francisco, where he played the next six years of his career. 

While the familiarity certain helps, it might not be the whole equation. That is, according to McDaniels. 

“I think the familiarity is probably a little bit overblown,” McDaniels said in August. “I think the reality is he’s just been a good football player. He’s just been a good football player where he was. He didn’t play much for me in New England.

“You know, I got to be around him when he was developing, but he really put a stamp on what he’s about in San Fran. I know he was coached well by an incredible coaching staff there, and he’s doing some really good things here already.”

To McDaniels’ point, of the available free agent quarterbacks this past offseason, Garoppolo was the best. Consider the familiarity between the two parties just the icing on the cake.

Jimmy Garoppolo contract details

On March 17, the Raiders inked Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year, $72.5 million contract with $34 million guaranteed. While most NFL contracts are pretty cut-and-dried, Garoppolo’s deal had a little bit of a wrinkle that nearly cost him a lot of money.

Had Garoppolo failed a physical before Week 1 — something that he did when he first signed his deal, according to Pro Football Talk — then the Raiders had the option to void the contract without charge, potentially leaving a lot of money on the table. Garoppolo was dealing with a foot injury he suffered in 2022, the latest in a long list of injuries for the veteran passer.

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In a nutshell: Garoppolo waived his right to any claim against the organization had he re-injured the foot or failed a physical after signing his deal, or else the Raiders could have released him without owing him a cent of the contract. Garoppolo would get surgery to rectify the foot, something he declined to do when he injured it in December 2022.

Now that Garoppolo passed a physical, played in a game and seems good to go, that waiver is null and void, and he’s getting paid.

Because Garoppolo failed the physical, the two sides took some time to rework his deal. Garoppolo’s original signing bonus, set for $11.25 million, was removed, and was converted into his base salary for the 2023 season. He gets that money now that he’s healthy.

But, all’s well that ends well. Garoppolo passed the physical and secured the bag. Now the Raiders will hope he passes for some TDs and secures some Ws in 2023 and beyond.