Jimmy Garoppolo: Rams Allow Players To Be Themselves, Unlike Other Teams

The Los Angeles Rams brought in veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason after he was released from the Las Vegas Raiders. Due to some injuries and some poor performance, Garoppolo did not meet the expectation of the big-money deal he signed with the Raiders and found his way to free agency early.

Meanwhile, the Rams were in the market to land a steady and reliable backup quarterback to Matthew Stafford. This stemmed from Stafford missing one game last season and Brett Rypien having to take over for a game, a loss to the Green Bay Packers. L.A. wanted to ensure that if Stafford needed to miss more time, they would have someone with a track record of winning games in his place.

The deal seemed to be a match made in heaven for both sides. And while training camp and the preseason have only just begun, Garoppolo and the Rams already appear to have a good rapport, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic:

“This place allows you to be yourself, too, which is different than other places I’ve been. You’re getting pressed with a sense of urgency but in a good way. Obviously, everyone wants to win. Everyone wants to perform well. They do it in the right way here. They push you positively. There’s just a lot of good things going on, man. I’m enjoying every bit of it. Even the meetings are a good time. Everything is going good right now.”

Garoppolo has gone through a lot over the past few seasons with both the Raiders and San Francisco 49ers. With the Rams, his role is established and he can focus on being the best version of himself without the pressure and chaos that came from the other two destinations.

The Rams have also made themselves known as a great destination for quarterbacks to rehab some of their value throughout the league. Baker Mayfield did a similar thing when he joined L.A. for four starts at the tailend of the 2022 season. He is now a bona fide starter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It remains to be seen if Garoppolo’s talents will be needed on the field. But off of it, everything looks to be going exactly as hoped for both sides.

Jimmy Garoppolo unlikely to get preseason reps

The Rams have already made it known that, unless he specifically asks for it, Jimmy Garoppolo is unlikely to get playing time in the preseason. Head coach Sean McVay and his staff want to use preseason as a chance to get second-year quarterback Stetson Bennett some playing time after missing all of last season.