Three Jimmy Garoppolo Free Agent Destinations

The NFL's handsomest quarterback is back on the market. That's right, folks. Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent. The news broke last week that the Las Vegas Raiders planned to release Garoppolo after he got hit with a two-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy.

Clearly whatever he was taking didn't make much of an impact. He started only six games in 2023 before the Raiders canned his biggest advocate, head coach Josh McDaniels, and gave rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell the keys instead. Which is probably the more relevant reason Las Vegas is moving on. There's a youth movement happening in Sin City and the team has absolutely no need for a veteran quarterback on a pricy deal like Jimmy G. He is due an $11 million roster bonus on March 11, which he won't be receiving.

The book is out on Jimmy G at this point. He is a capable enough quarterback in a pinch but he's good for three-to-five interception-worthy throws per game, making him difficult to rely upon for long stretches. But he does have a proven track record of success (however relative that success may be). That makes him an attractive prospect for the handful of teams who are looking for a quarterback this offseason and aren't in a position to easily get one from the draft. Some of those teams might even be interested.

Garoppolo is not in line to receive a substantial deal, or even anything near the $45 million guaranteed he got from the Raiders as part of his three-year, $72 million contract he signed last offseason. He completed only 65 percent of his passes last year for 1,205 yards and seven touchdowns to nine interceptions. That is far from quality quarterback play. But even competent quarterback play is scarce nowadays and there will be a lot of interest in Garoppolo as a backup at worst. A few franchises may even consider him as a "bridge" quarterback to helm the offense this year and be gone next year.

Garoppolo will be on the open market when free agency begins because the Raiders need to get rid of him to avoid that roster bonus. So he'll be free to negotiate with whoever on March 11. Here are a few possible landing spots for Jimmy G's second consecutive foray into free agency.