The Las Vegas Raiders and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo agreed on a three-year, $67.5 million contract, ESPN reported Monday.
The deal can be executed on Wednesday under NFL rules. Once it’s done, Garoppolo will reunite with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, who was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in New England during Garoppolo’s first three-plus seasons in the league.
Garoppolo, 31, leaves the 49ers after six seasons and multiple deep playoff runs together.
Garoppolo was the starting quarterback in San Francisco’s run to Super Bowl LIV, where he threw a touchdown and two interceptions in a 31-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2020. The Niners reached the NFC Championship Game in the 2021 season, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.
Garoppolo was not expected to return to the 49ers in 2022 as they made room for Trey Lance to take over as the franchise quarterback. But because Garoppolo elected to have shoulder surgery over the offseason, San Francisco could not find a trade partner, with the procedure reportedly scaring the Washington Commanders out of a potential deal.
The 49ers and Garoppolo re-worked his remaining contract into a one-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $6.5 million. While he was expected to serve as the backup, that changed when Lance broke his ankle in Week 2 and missed the rest of the season.
Garoppolo went 7-3 as the starter before suffering a foot injury in Week 13 that ended his season. That opened the door for rookie Brock Purdy to be the 49ers’ improbable hero, winning five starts to close the regular season and two starts in the playoffs before he was injured in San Francisco’s 31-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game.
Despite Lance’s and Purdy’s injury situations, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said in the offseason that he did not see “any scenario” where Garoppolo would return to the team in 2023.
Since entering the league with the Patriots in 2014, Garoppolo has a 40-17 record as a starter in the regular season. He has totaled 14,289 passing yards, 87 touchdowns and 42 interceptions with a 67.6 career completion percentage.
Over the offseason, Garoppolo was linked to several teams, including a return to Bill Belichick and the Patriots not being completely out of the question. New York Jets coach Robert Saleh was familiar with Garoppolo from his days in San Francisco and his team has been openly seeking a veteran QB, but they appear to be targeting four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers.
The Raiders also needed a quarterback after releasing Derek Carr, who is in agreement on a deal with the New Orleans Saints.
–Field Level Media
