Ex-Patriots quarterback suspended for PED violations (report)
It appears that soon-to-be free agent Jimmy Garoppolo will not start in Week 1 for anyone next season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders quarterback has been suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, and Las Vegas intends to remove Garoppolo before his roster bonus is due next month.
“The policy violation is said to be related to Garoppolo using a prescribed medication without having a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption from the league, according to sources,” Schefter writes in his article. “Garoppolo will not appeal his punishment and will miss the first two games of the 2024 season, although not with the Raiders, according to sources. The Raiders are anticipated to release Garoppolo before the fifth day of the new league year in mid-March, when he will receive a $11.25 million roster bonus.”
Garoppolo, the Patriots’ second-round choice in 2014, was traded to the 49ers in 2017. He led San Francisco to a Super Bowl berth but failed to stay on the field, so Kyle Shanahan decided to break ways with him last summer. Garoppolo signed a three-year contract in Las Vegas, but things did not go as planned.
Garoppolo started only six games for the Raiders in 2023 before being benched in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell, and he threw nine interceptions to seven touchdown passes.
This suspension could be excellent news for Las Vegas, since cutting Garoppolo would cost them more than $50 million in dead cap hits over the next four seasons, including $28.3 million in 2024 alone, according to Over The Cap. Because of the prohibition, the Raiders may be able to nullify the rest of his guaranteed money and drastically reduce those figures.
It’s uncertain what the 32-year-old Garoppolo’s market will be in March, but a team can now only sign him for up to 15 games this season.
