Jimmy Garoppolo’s Contract Includes Void Clause If He Can’t Pass Physical

According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo did not pass his physical with the team when he officially signed in March.

Instead, the team added a waiver to his contract that gives the team the right to void the deal if Garoppolo cannot pass a physical this season. 

Garoppolo was due an $11.25 million signing bonus but that was converted to a base salary instead, meaning the Raiders can cut him at any point before he passes a physical or plays in a game and owe the veteran nothing. 

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport has the full clause in the contract here.

It came out this past week that Garoppolo is not practicing with the Raiders at OTAs right now because he underwent foot surgery in March.

Garoppolo initially suffered a foot injury in early December. At the time, it was believed he had avoided a significant Lisfranc injury and would have a chance to return with rehab and no surgery. 

The Raiders flagged the injury during his physical, but instead of voiding the deal outright, which can sometimes happen during free agency, they elected to add the waiver to allow Garoppolo time to recover and give him a chance to play for them this season. 

Veteran QB Brian Hoyer and fourth-round QB Aidan O’Connell are the other options on the roster for the Raiders right now. 

Durability has been a major question mark for Garoppolo over the course of his career, with a shoulder injury that later needed surgery ultimately preventing the 49ers from trading him during the 2022 offseason. 

Garoppolo, 31, is a former second-round pick of the Patriots back in 2014. The Patriots traded him to the 49ers in 2017 at the trade deadline in return for a 2018 second-round pick.

Garoppolo was in line to be an unrestricted free agent when the 49ers signed him to a five-year, $137.5 million contract during the 2018 offseason.

He was set to make a base salary of $24.2 million in 2022 when he agreed to a pay cut in exchange for a no-tag clause. Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.8 million deal with the Raiders this offseason. 

In 2022, Garoppolo appeared in 11 games for the 49ers and completed 67.2 percent of his pass attempts for 2,437 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He’s added 23 rushes for 33 yards and two touchdowns.

We’ll have more on Garoppolo as the news is available.