The Las Vegas Raiders signed a three-year contract with Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting quarterback on March 7, but they also need to sign his backup now.
After Derek Carr’s departure, the first choice QB position was luring the backup, Jarrett Stidham, as he started the last two games for the Raiders. However, when Jimmy arrived, the dream didn’t become reality, and he got a better call from the Denver Broncos and signed a two-year contract deal.
As Stidham left the backup position open on March 13, the Raiders are now looking for a suitable quarterback for their backup plan.
Who might be Jimmy Garoppolo’s backup for the Raiders?
The Raiders are considering former Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Blaine Gabbert for the 31-year-old’s backup as they hosted a visit for him.
#Raiders hosted Blaine Gabbert and Andrew Van Ginkel for visits
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 19, 2023
These two have some uncanny similarities as they both played backup for NFL legend Tom Brady; Garoppolo played four years under him at New England Patriots and won two Super Bowl rings, whereas Gabbert played three years at the Bucs and got one ring.
If the Raiders sign the 33-year-old, they will have three quarterbacks whose second name initials are “G.” Other than that, the decisions make no sense for now.
Blaine’s notable performance was last seen in his rookie year for the Jacksonville Jaguars; he started 14 games and threw 12 touchdowns, made 11 interceptions, and accumulated 2,214 yards of passing in 413 attempts.
After that, he struggled to establish himself as the starting quarterback but couldn’t capitalize much on his chances during the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, and Tennessee Titans. Finally, he ended up as Brady’s deputy, which is his only achievement so far in his 12-year career.
Similarly, Jimmy G also couldn’t hack much longer in the 49ers team, even in the last season, when ‘Mr. Irrelevant,’ Brock Purdy snatched the position from him. Both quarterbacks appear to have a name for themselves as the Niners’ failure and Brady’s deputy.
On a positive note, they got the experience of fighting at topflight, which might come in handy in the Raiders’ current situation. After winning the Super Bowl in 2002, they couldn’t get past the wild card round yet.
What’s your take on Jimmy Garoppolo and his possible deputy? Can the raiders bring luck after all these years? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
