What is the state of the Raiders’ offense under Jimmy Garoppolo? – Las Vegas Raiders Blog

HENDERSON, Nev. — Jimmy Garoppolo’s introductory press conference last week was delayed by a day, and the new Las Vegas Raiders quarterback said the delay was due to “language” in the contract.

You couldn’t blame him if he spent those extra 24 hours combing through his new team roster, especially on the attacking side of the ball, to make sure it was, well, real.

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Back to All-Pros at receiver and running back in Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs? Check.

A former Pro Bowler in slot catcher Hunter Renfrow? In effect.

What about two incoming pass receivers who already know the system from coach Josh McDaniels to Jakobi Meyers and Phillip Dorsett? True and true.

Yeah, all of that was attractive to Garoppolo.

“I mean, anytime you have skill position guys like that, chase after catch, I’m a big believer,” Garoppolo said. “And I think if you give them an accurate ball, if you have the right guys who can make a play, we seem to have the right guys here. So we just have to work together.”

Garoppolo taking snaps will be a decidedly different look for Las Vegas. He replaces Derek Carr, the Raiders’ starter since his rookie season in 2014, and Carr has only missed two regular season starts due to injury in his career.

But Garoppolo should also give the Raiders’ offense, which was the No. 12 ranked unit in the NFL last season (pass No. 11, run No. 17, score No. 12), not just a fresh start, but a thumbs up, given his familiarity with McDaniels and the scheme and discomfort Carr had in said system.

Consider: Garoppolo’s passer rating as a starter with McDaniels calling plays is 119.0 compared to Carr’s 86.3.

Additionally, Garoppolo’s regular season career record as a starter is 40-17, and he threw for 14,289 yards and 87 touchdowns with 42 interceptions while completing 67.6% of his passes in 74 games. play. He also appeared in seven postseason games, going 4-2 as a starter, leading the San Francisco 49ers to two NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl LIV loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

But Garoppolo has a history of injuries. He missed 30 games with the 49ers due to various ankle, shoulder, thumb and knee issues and missed the Niners’ final five games last season due to a Lisfranc injury to his left foot. . Still, Garoppolo had to pass a physical to sign his three-year, $67.5 million free agent contract with Las Vegas.

“There probably aren’t too many players in the league who don’t know who Jimmy G is, are there?” Meyers said. “And then he played as a patriot so I know who he is, I’ve heard a lot about him. I’ve heard about his personality, honestly, and I feel like that’s probably the easiest thing just a cool, calm, collected guy ‘Cause I’ve seen him have good days, bad days, but I’ve always seen him with the same smile on his face So take the X’s off and the O’s and the talent, I feel like that alone will be fun to play with.”

The Raiders’ offense is as enticing as it is fluid, even with last week’s trade of former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller to the New York Giants for a third-round draft pick, which now gives the Raiders 12 picks in next month’s draft. .

How’s that for a current starting lineup – QB Garoppolo, WR1 Adams, WR2 Meyers, slot WR Renfrow, TE Austin Hooper (who signed with the Raiders on Wednesday), RB Jacobs, LT Kolton Miller, LG Dylan Parham, C Andre James, RG Jermaine Eluemunor, RT Brandon Parker?

Still, it’s been a minute — six seasons, in fact — since Garoppolo and McDaniels were together in New England, as Garoppolo was shipped to the 49ers as part of a trade deal in 2017.

So before Garoppolo can start teaching offense to other newbies in the program, he has to perfect himself.

“I was actually just talking to Josh about it,” he said. “It’s going to take me, you know, I have to get my stuff done first before I can start helping everybody out and getting us all on the same page. But that comes with the territory of a quarterback- back, I guess. You just gotta do a bit of everything, but I can’t wait to get there.

“We had guys, Philip was with me in New England. Jakobi had obviously played in that system. So there’s a certain familiarity. We just have to put everything on the same page, I think, and as quickly as possible. .”

That is to say, no delay, right?