Towards the end of the 2022 NFL season, it became apparent that the Las Vegas Raiders would move on from quarterback Derek Carr. The veteran signal-caller and new head coach Josh McDaniels were not a good fit, and with two games left in the season, and a playoff berth still technically available, they decided to bench Carr.
That led to a two-game run for Jarrett Stidham, and instead of being on the sideline to help the young quarterback along, Carr and the organization made the decision for him to step away from the team. On Valentine's Day, the Raiders and their nine-year veteran quarterback decided to part ways, and McDaniels reached out to a familiar face to take over the position.
The familiar face was Jimmy Garoppolo, who has won his fair share of NFL games, and a player who has a long history with McDaniels. This summer, it is apparent that the relationship between Jimmy G and McDaniels is a strong one, and the head coach looked much more relaxed than he did a year ago.
Carr could certainly put up statistics, but Garoppolo is a better fit for McDaniels offense, and he has been in complete command already in training camp.
Raiders in good hands with Jimmy G at quarterback
So far this summer, Garoppolo has been shaking off the rust, as his short and intermediate passes have been on target, but he is struggling with the deep ball. The thing with Jimmy G is that he has never been a downfield threat in terms of the passing game, and his accuracy on the shorter throws is going to play perfectly in McDaniels's offense.
Garoppolo has also come into camp with his classic swagger, earning the respect and admiration of his teammates. Center Andre James has spoken highly of him, and there seems to be a more relaxed feel around camp this year, with 'no divas' according to AJ Cole.
The veteran quarterback may not set the world on fire with throws like Patrick Mahomes, but in terms of winning, nobody can question that he gives the Raiders a legitimate chance to do just that in 2023.