Las Vegas Raiders: PFF low on the Jimmy Garoppolo deal in free agency
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders are filling the starting quarterback role with Jimmy Garoppolo in 2023, something Pro Football Focus was not too high on.
After nine seasons with Derek Carr as their starting quarterback, the Las Vegas Raiders are making the switch to veteran Jimmy Garoppolo. Known for his ability to win games, but also struggling to stay healthy, Garoppolo is inheriting an offense that is loaded with talent.
The Raiders fan base is starving for consistency, as the only consistent thing about the franchise has been their inability to win games. Since the 2002 NFL season, the Raiders have made it to the playoffs only twice, and have been one-and-done both times.
Now, the hopes of the franchise rest in the hands of Garoppolo, and based on all the moves the Silver and Black made this offseason, his deal is the worst according to Pro Football Focus. The media outlet says that the fit with Josh McDaniels is a good one, and Hunter Renfrow should benefit from him being under center, but in the end, there is too much guaranteed money for a player who cannot stay on the field.
PFF high on the Raiders deal for Jakobi Meyers
On the flip side, Pro Football Focus named the deal for Jakobi Meyers as their favorite, stating that he has some of the more consistent hands in the NFL. PFF gave a statistic of 3.1 in terms of the percentage of balls he has dropped in his career, and his 63.2 percent catch-rate is fourth-best of any NFL wideout.
It is clear the Raiders wanted to upgrade the wide receiver position again this offseason, as they brought in Meyers, DeAndre Carter, and Cam Sims to name a few. Remember, they traded for Davante Adams last offseason, so in terms of weapons on the outside, Garoppolo should have no shortage in Year 1 as the starter in Las Vegas.
In order for the Silver and Black to have success this season, both players are going to have to step up, and hopefully their connections to McDaniels will help them step in and succeed inmmeditaely.