The biggest change the Las Vegas Raiders made to their roster this season was at the most important position in football. The team parted ways with longtime starter Derek Carr and brought in Jimmy Garoppolo on a three-year contract.
Garoppolo has proven, when healthy, that he is a solid quarterback who can produce when he has the weapons surrounding him, and the Raiders undoubtedly have that on the offensive end. But there are those who wonder if he is much of an upgrade over Carr, as no one would consider him a top-tier quarterback.
But his former teammate with the Patriots, tight end Rob Gronkowski, believes he is an excellent fit for the Raiders and what they need in an appearance on the Up and Adams Show with Kay Adams:
“100 percent, I think it’s a great fit. Especially for the money that they got him. It’s not like they’re paying him top dollar. So then, you can put the product around him, like Davante Adams, and they brought in the tight end Michael Mayer from Notre Dame with the second-round pick. I think he’s a great addition to that offense as well. And then they got the running back as well.
“So they just need a quarterback, I would say, who knows how to run the system. They don’t need a first-team All-Pro quarterback, they just need a guy who knows how to operate. And that’s what Jimmy G can do. He knows how to operate, he’ll get the ball down the field, and he’ll do what the coaches tell him to do. So he’s going to also place the ball in the hands of Davante Adams as much as possible. So I think it’s a good fit, especially for the money that they got him for compared to what these other quarterbacks are getting paid.”
As Gronkowski said, the Raiders didn’t give Garoppolo top-level money, and the weapons they have around him are excellent. Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs are coming off All-Pro seasons. Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Renfrow are both solid receivers, and rookie Michael Mayer should be able to make an immediate impact at tight end.
Suppose Garoppolo can get the ball in the hands of his playmakers regularly and in the right positions. In that case, the Raiders’ offense should be one of the best in the league, and that will be a big factor in the Raiders taking that leap back into playoff contention.