Jimmy Garoppolo fell out of favor with the Las Vegas Raiders last season. He began the season looking turnover-prone before suffering an injury, but was never placed back in the starting lineup when he became healthy again. And now, given the news of an impending suspension, there is very little reason to believe that Jimmy G will be in Vegas for the 2024 NFL season.
NFL Suspends Jimmy Garoppolo For PED Use
Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo is being suspended two games for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Substances Policy, league sources told ESPN.
The policy violation is related to him using a prescribed medication without having a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption, per sources. pic.twitter.com/NXE6siAYDb
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 16, 2024
It was reported on Friday morning that Garoppolo would be suspended for two games by the league for violating the substance abuse policy for using performance enhancing substances. It is said that the violation is related to the quarterback using a prescribed medicine that he didn’t have an exemption for.
The length of the suspension will be two games, which shouldn’t affect the Raiders much, as the writing has been on the wall since the end of the season. Las Vegas is due to owe Garoppolo an $11.75 million bonus if he is on the roster when the new league year starts, and it was widely believed that he would have been released regardless of any positive drug test.
It will now be some other NFL team’s problem to deal with. No matter where Garoppolo ends up playing in 2024, he’ll have to sit out for the first two games. Under league rules, he will be able to practice and train with his teammates during the two-week hiatus, but is not permitted at games.
What Does Suspension Mean For Garoppolo’s Next Team?
BREAKING: #Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo is being suspended two games for violating the NFL’s PED policy, per @AdamSchefter. Garoppolo is not expected to be back in Las Vegas next season. pic.twitter.com/HOsmKygG15
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 16, 2024
It is unclear what the open market would have looked like for Garoppolo even before the suspension. He was once a hot commodity, and was a part of the Super Bowl run for the 49ers just a few years back. His injury two seasons ago was the start of Brock Purdy’s rise, and Jimmy G became expendable for San Francisco. He started 6 games for the Raiders in 2023, throwing 7 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while posting a 3-3 record.
The suspension will hurt his options. There don’t seem to be many NFL teams that would be willing to bring Garoppolo in to be their starter, given his struggles lately. And now that he’ll be forced to miss the first two games of next year, the option of being a temporary starter ahead of a freshly drafted rookie is out the window as well.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
