QB Jimmy Garoppolo agrees to terms on 1-year deal with Rams, per report
The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to terms with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on a one-year deal, according to multiple media reports Friday.
The 32-year-old spent last year with the Las Vegas Raiders and will now join quarterback Matthew Stafford and head coach Sean McVay in Los Angeles.
Garoppolo won't be available to back up Stafford until after the first two games of the upcoming season, as he was issued a suspension last month for violating the terms of the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.
It's an offseason of change for the Rams, as the news of Garoppolo's addition to the team comes hours after legendary Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald announced his retirement. There was a need for an additional quarterback in Los Angeles, as the team's 2023 fourth-round selection, Stetson Bennett, spent last season on the non-football injury list.
Garoppolo was among four players who were waived by the Raiders in a series of salary-cap-saving efforts Wednesday. The move seemed imminent after the team reportedly reached a two-year, $25 million agreement with free-agent quarterback Gardner Minshew on Monday.
The Raiders didn't have much success with their Garoppolo experiment after signing the signal-caller to a three-year, $72.75 million deal with $33.75 million guaranteed during his free agency last offseason.
Garoppolo previously spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, a tenure that was riddled with injuries. That lingered into his time with the Raiders, as his need for left foot surgery delayed his ability to pass a physical and finalize his contract.
His stint in Las Vegas saw him record a 65.1% completion rate, 77.7 passer rating and 34.2 QBR — all career lows. He was 3-3 in six starts, throwing for 1,205 passing yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was sidelined in Week 7 due to a back injury after missing a Week 3 game in the league's concussion protocol. By Week 9, Garoppolo was benched for rookie Aidan O'Connell.
While Garoppolo didn't land in a position to start on a team, the Rams will likely feel more secure with him on the roster. Stafford was placed on injured reserve with six games remaining in the 2022 season due to a lingering neck strain. He missed only two games during the 2023 campaign.