When Josh McDaniels landed the head coaching job with the Denver Broncos, he immediately got several players with ties to the New England Patriots.
That was more than a decade ago, but not much has changed.
Jimmy Garoppolo, former Patriots backup when McDaniels was offensive coordinator in New England, comes to the Las Vegas Raiders to meet with McDaniels, According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Diana Rossini. The deal is said to be for three years and $67.5 million, including $34 million guaranteed.
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Given Bill Belichick’s former assistants’ infatuation with former Patriots players, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
Garoppolo has been with the San Francisco 49ers since 2017, when the Patriots traded him there. He helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl, but injuries and mediocrity caused San Francisco to look elsewhere at quarterback. They traded draft Trey Lance, though Garoppolo regained the starting job last season when Lance was injured. Then Garoppolo was injured and Brooke Purdy took over.
The split between the 49ers and Garoppolo had been in the works for a while, although it was delayed a year when Garoppolo was recovering from shoulder surgery last season and the 49ers couldn’t find a business partner.
Finally, Garoppolo made it into free agency and it didn’t take long for McDaniels to get over the former Patriots.
The Raiders moved on from Derek Carr after last season, but it’s hard to say Garoppolo is an upgrade. But he knows the “Patriot Way” that McDaniels and most former New England assistants hold dear. At least Garoppolo would know McDaniels’ offense.
The Raiders are starting a new chapter with Garoppolo, who will turn 32 years old during the season. They’ll find out if the familiarity between McDaniels and Garoppolo leads to some victories.
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