Las Vegas Raiders: Jimmy Garoppolo is not an upgrade from Derek Carr
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders appear to be turning the page at the quarterback position in 2023, but bringing in Jimmy Garoppolo is not an upgrade from Derek Carr.
As we begin to look forward to the 2023 offseason, the main position that everyone will have their eyes on in terms of the Las Vegas Raiders is the quarterback spot. After nine seasons as the starter, and zero playoff wins, the franchise will likely turn from Derek Carr, and bring in either a veteran or roll the dice in the 2023 NFL Draft.
We are already starting to hear names circulating for the Silver and Black, and one big name that has stood out is Tom Brady. There had been some steam to Brady coming to Las Vegas in the past, but now, the franchise is zeroing in on him to be the man under center when the Raiders kick off their 2023 season.
Another name that has been thrown around is Jimmy Garoppolo, Brady’s former backup in New England, and a player familiar with Josh McDaniels’ offensive system. However, if the team wants to upgrade from Carr, Jimmy G is not the answer.
Raiders need a better option than Jimmy G in 2023
Looking at the career of Garoppolo, it is hard to argue that he has not been a winner everywhere he has gone. In fact, he currently sports a 40-17 record during his time with the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers and has led his teams to the playoffs consistently, and even a Super Bowl.
However, most of that winning came on the backs of strong defenses, so it is hard to tell whether or not Garoppolo would actually bring a winning culture to the Silver and Black. Las Vegas has long had a terrible defense and put together one of the worst in the NFL once again in 2022, so the focus should be on bolstering that unit this offseason as well.
If a franchise is going to move on from a player who has been their face for years, they have to make a big splash, and that means bringing in Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or possibly even moving up to get Bryce Young in the draft. Outside of those three names, anything else would be a downgrade from No. 4 this upcoming season.