There were stories about a week ago that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo failed his physical with the Las Vegas Raiders in March. Due to an injury waiver in Garoppolo’s three-year, $77.25 million deal, the Raiders could release the veteran quarterback for free if he fails the physical before the 2023 season.
The shocking news led to a lot of theories. Because of his ongoing foot issue, Garoppolo might not be able to take a snap in Las Vegas. Who would replace Garoppolo on the Raiders? The sportsbook has responded by giving Las Vegas several choices for the next quarterback if Garoppolo doesn’t work out. Let’s look at what choices we have. Who could be the best picks in the NFL?
With Fewer Options In the Market, Who Is Available in Free Agency?
Most of free agency is over, so the Raiders don’t have many choices. Tom Brady always gets a lot of attention. Even though he said, “I’m sure I’m not going to play again,” the Las Vegas reports are still going strong.
If Garoppolo doesn’t become the Raiders’ next quarterback, Brady has the same chances as Garoppolo, which is +200. Is there any chance that this will really happen? During the 2022 season, there were reports that Brady might move to Las Vegas if he kept playing football.
Also, Brady is investing in the Raiders, and Coach Josh McDaniels was Brady’s offensive coordinator for several years at the New England Patriots. The link makes sense, but Brady has said that he plans to play again.
Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan are also free agents. Ryan said he wasn’t retired after he got a job as a reporter at CBS. So, the Raiders could definitely get the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback to come back to the NFL. Ryan might be the best free agent choice.
He is a +300 bet with popular bookies in the market such as bet on nfl games online to be the next quarterback for Las Vegas. Wentz is only 30, so he may still play for a while. The new odds from the NFL say that Wentz will start for the Raiders.
Is Backups An Option?
Ryan and Wentz are both old players who have had bad seasons for a few years. Neither of them would likely save Vegas. If Garoppolo was let go, the Raiders could still try to add backup by signing Ryan or Wentz.
The second string is Brian Hoyer, and the third string is Aidan O’Connell, who is a newbie. These are the most likely NFL picks for who will start the next game in Las Vegas. Hoyer’s chances are the worst (+200). The QB has been in the league since 2009, and he has spent the last three years playing in McDaniels’ system.
At +600, O’Connell is an interesting dark horse choice. He was very accurate at Purdue, and his game is like that of a pro. If it comes down to Hoyer and O’Connell for the job, the fourth-round youngster has the skills to beat the 37-year-old quarterback.
After going 6–11 last season, not many NFL experts have great hopes for the Raiders. With an expected total of seven wins, they have a +350 chance of making the playoffs. If Garoppolo can’t pass his physical, Las Vegas will be in a lot of problems.
He’s not a star, but he’s a good starter who always wins. Any of the Raiders’ choices, Ryan, Hoyer, or O’Connell, would be much worse. This could cause the situation to tank. If Las Vegas starts a quarterback who isn’t very good, it has no chance in the AFC West.
In the long run, it would be better for the Raiders to get a QB in the strong 2024 NFL Draft. How bad Garoppolo’s injury is will have a big effect on the future of the team. This could make it easier to win money on sports bets, like picking the next starter or choosing “under” (-125) for Las Vegas’ win total.
