Raiders’ Josh McDaniels downplays concern over Jimmy Garoppolo sidelined with foot injury: ‘I have no anxiety’

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels has went all-in on bringing “The Patriot Way” with him from New England. It began when he kicked the franchise’s all-time leading passer Derek Carr to the curb and signed his former Patriots pupil Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year, $72.8 million contract in free agency.

However, the transition plan from Carr to Garoppolo isn’t quite ready to launch. McDaniels said recently, per CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones, that Jimmy G had not practiced at organized team activities during the week of May 25. His reason: Because “our preference is to not push or rush anyone at this time.” Since Garoppolo’s 2022 season with the San Francisco 49ers was cut short by a broken foot in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins, McDaniels said the focus is on a fully healthy roster for training camp.

McDaniels does not seem to be worried about the situation involving their new starting quarterback. “You guys may have anxiety. I have no anxiety,” McDaniels said Thursday, via ESPN.

“I have very good information that would tell me we’re going to be fine,” he added (per Vegas Nation) regarding Garoppolo’s availability this year.

A report from The Athletic last Thursday revealed Garoppolo had surgery on his injured foot in March.    

“He’s going through his process just like we knew he would,” McDaniels said Thursday, via The Athletic, when asked about his quarterback’s inability to participate in OTAs. 

The head coach did not discuss Garoppolo’s foot procedure directly, but he expressed confidence in how things have developed regarding his health. 

“Nothing has happened that would surprise us based on the information we had,” McDaniels said. “We don’t play a game for 100 days. Everything that’s happened since we signed Jimmy, we knew ahead of time. … Certainly had an awareness of all of it. Our preference is not to push it and rush anybody back at this point in time.”

What that means in the interim is Garoppolo spending less time throwing to All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, who has said he is looking forward to getting his new quarterback “to conform to whatever” play style Adams thinks is best. Garoppolo will likely begin his conformation process with Adams in late July and early August when NFL training camps begin in full force.