Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is being suspended two games for violating the NFL's Performance Enhancing Substances Policy.
According to multiple reports, this all but ends his brief career with the Las Vegas Raiders.
His future in the league is still very much up in the air, however.
Jimmy Garoppolo will not appeal his two-game suspension, and he now will miss the first two games of the 2024 season wherever he is playing, but it no longer is expected to be in Las Vegas with the Raiders, per sources. https://t.co/xMXTqYwYGa
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 16, 2024
The Raiders are expected to release Jimmy Garoppolo before the fifth day of the new league year in mid-March, when he would earn an $11.25 million roster bonus, per sources. https://t.co/jqju8Vv5Ka
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 16, 2024
Given his age (32) injury history (has only played 15 or more games twice) and ineffectiveness, some have speculated that the suspension could mean that "Jimmy G." won't find a suitor this offseason.
May be tough for Jimmy Garoppolo to find work based on this news—which adds to the injury history, recent play. His release was considered a fait accompli. https://t.co/auVrIQjbUI
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 16, 2024
Hours after Raiders owner Mark Davis fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler at the beginning of November, it was reported that the team was benching Garoppolo in favor of 2023 draft pick Aidan O'Connell. Garoppolo saw just three snaps after his benching between Weeks 8 and 9 and finished the campaign with a 65.1% completion percentage for 1,205 passing yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions across seven games (six starts).
The two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots signed a three-year, $72.5M contract with Las Vegas last March.
With so many NFL teams already stocked with a franchise quarterback and a flurry of potential studs expected to be selected in this spring's draft, Garoppolo may find it difficult to regain a starting gig.
The league saw an unprecedented number of injuries and benchings to starting signal-callers in 2023 though, leading to a record number of backups being used. The former longtime member of the San Francisco 49ers should find himself on a roster in the fall, but likely as a No. 2 or No. 3.
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