Details regarding quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's contract with the Los Angeles Rams surfaced Wednesday after the team officially announced the signing Tuesday.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Garoppolo inked a one-year deal worth a base value of $4.5 million, although it could go up to $12 million if certain incentives are met.
Jimmy G is suspended for the first two games of the 2024 season due to a violation of the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, but the plan is for him to serve as the primary backup to starter Matthew Stafford once he is eligible to return.
On Tuesday, Garoppolo told reporters that his suspension is a result of a mistake on his part, as he failed to properly file for a therapeutic use exemption with the NFL for a medication he was taking.
After spending six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and leading them to one Super Bowl appearance, Garoppolo signed a three-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency last offseason.
The plan was for the 32-year-old veteran to serve as the starter, and while that was initially the case, he was benched after going 3-3.
In seven appearances overall last season, Jimmy G completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions, marking the worst season of his career in terms of campaigns in which he received significant playing time.
The Raiders went with rookie fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell at quarterback after Garoppolo was benched, and when head coach Josh McDaniels was fired and replaced by Antonio Pierce, the decision was made to go with O'Connell for the rest of the season.
This offseason, the Raiders signed veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew in free agency to pair with O'Connell, which paved the way for Vegas to cut Garoppolo.
While Garoppolo may no longer be viewed as a regular starter, he has a history of success that makes him an ideal backup.
He is 43-20 in his career as a starting quarterback and has completed 67.4 percent of his passing attempts for 15,494 yards 94 touchdowns and 51 picks over the course of 10 NFL seasons.
Garoppolo also has six career playoff starts to his credit, going an impressive 4-2, and playing in two NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl.
Stafford, 36, is locked in as the Rams' starter after leading them to a Super Bowl win in 2021 and earning Pro Bowl honors last season by virtue of leading L.A. to the playoffs and throwing for 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
He does have a bit of an injury history, though, having missed eight games in 2022, so it made sense for the Rams to bring in a backup with significant starting experience.
Rams head coach Sean McVay is one of the best offensive minds in football, and if Stafford misses time, L.A. would likely be able to remain competitive with Garoppolo running McVay's offense.
Additionally, signing with the Rams is a potentially smart move on Jimmy G's part since he could rebuild his value and possibly get another starting opportunity elsewhere in 2025 if he is forced into action and plays well in 2024.
