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Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff Writer
HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who spent his offseason recovering from a foot injury, passed his training camp physical, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday.
Garoppolo, a source told ESPN, will be worked into practice “at the right pace” to start camp and “wouldn’t call it slowly” after the quarterback did not participate in any on-field activities during the offseason workout program.
Garoppolo, who joined the Raiders on a three-year, $72.75 million free agent contract March 17, signed a waiver/release in place of a physical because of his injured left foot, suffered Dec. 4 while playing for the San Francisco 49ers.
His introductory news conference was postponed a day, presumably after the Raiders found issues with the foot and had him sign the waiver. Garoppolo was asked that day to shed light on the delay and if the injury played a part. He said, “No worry.
“I mean, it was just talking, language, things like that. But no, both sides, I think, knew what we wanted to get done, so it was very collaborative, actually. Just us coming together.”
Garoppolo then underwent surgery after signing with Las Vegas and was limited to classroom work with the Raiders during OTAs and minicamp. His $11.25 million signing bonus was converted into base salary to give him a $22.5 million base salary for this season, all of which lent credence to the notion that the Raiders could cut him with little to no financial hit if he had been unable to pass a physical before the season begins.
And while there was plenty of hand-wringing by fans over the Raiders signing an injured Garoppolo in need of surgery to replace nine-year starter Derek Carr, who was released on Feb. 14 and later signed with the New Orleans Saints, second-year Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said on June 1 he had “no anxiety” over the team’s quarterback situation.
“I don’t worry about the things I can’t control,” McDaniels said at the time. “I have very good information that tells me that we’re going to be fine, you know what I mean? So again, nothing has happened that would’ve changed that, so that’s why I feel that way.”
Free agent signee Brian Hoyer, who is entering his 15th NFL season and has experience in McDaniels’ system from his time with the New England Patriots, ran the first-team offense during the offseason program, while fourth-round draft pick Aidan O’Connell from Purdue also got significant reps. The lone returnee at quarterback for the Raiders is second-year player Chase Garbers, who has yet to take a snap in a regular-season NFL game.
Jarrett Stidham, who started the Raiders’ final two games after Carr was benched and left the team, signed a two-year, $10 million free agent contract with the Denver Broncos two days before Garoppolo signed with the Raiders.
Also, the Raiders on Friday placed rookie edge rusher Tyree Wilson, the No. 7 overall draft pick, on the non-football injury list, as expected. Wilson suffered a season-ending injury to his right foot while playing for Texas Tech on Nov. 21 and had a follow-up procedure to have the hardware removed on March 21. He, like Garoppolo, was limited to classroom work during the offseason program.
Meanwhile, third-round pick Byron Young, a defensive tackle from Alabama, was placed on the physically unable to perform list.
Raiders veterans report to camp Tuesday with the first practice Wednesday morning.
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