Good news, Raiders fans. You have your quarterback. (Whether all Raiders fans view that as good news is arguably debatable.)
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the oft-injured Jimmy Garopppolo has recovered sufficiently from his latest injury to pass a physical, more than four months after failing his physical when signing with the team.
Garoppolo injured the foot against the Dolphins in December, opening the door for the rise of Brock Purdy. Garoppolo did not have surgery on the foot. After he agreed to terms with the Raiders early in free agency, doctors decided he needed a corrective procedure.
Along the way, the Raiders wiped out his $11.25 million signing bonus, pushing it into 2023 salary that hinged on Garoppolo eventually passing a physical. Now that he has, the Raiders are on the hook for the money.
It’s not big money, not even close. For the player who once was (for roughly one month), the highest-paid player in NFL history at $27.5 million per year, Garoppolo’s three-year deal has an average value of $22.5 million — nearly $30 million per year below the current top of the market.
His value is low because his injury rate is high. That’s the real question moving forward. Can he stay healthy?
He is healthy. Today. Once the games start, how long will that last?
He turns 32 in November. His durability was an issue in his 20s. He likely won’t become a model of availability in his 30s.