If the Raiders are going to have any chance of success this season, they will need new franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to play at a high level. But in order for that to happen, he has to be on the field and stay healthy.
Over the last few weeks, there have been some rumblings about the health of Garoppolo as he did not participate in OTAs or minicamp after offseason foot surgery. So that begs the question; will Jimmy Garoppolo be ready for Week 1?
In a recent article by Alex Kay of Bleacher Report, he believes everything is trending in the right direction for Garoppolo and the Raiders. Here is a snippet of why Kay believes Garoppolo will be on the field for Week 1:
Given the precautions in place, the Raiders have little to lose by waiting for Garoppolo to get healthy. The veteran was the best option available to them this offseason and, at his best, gives the club a realistic chance to contend in the highly competitive AFC West. With all signs still pointing to a return in time for the start of camp, Vegas should be ready to go with a healthy Jimmy G in 2023.
The Raiders certainly haven’t made any moves that suggest they are worried about the health of Garoppolo. They didn’t spend a top 100 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on a quarterback and they haven’t rushed out to sign a veteran backup like Carson Wentz or Matt Ryan.
While there is a chance that Garoppolo might miss some of training camp, the Raiders do have every reason to be patient and not rush him back on the field. Things feel uncertain right now, but there is no reason to assume that Garoppolo won’t be on the field for Week 1.