Jimmy Garoppolo suspended two games for violating NFL's performance-enhancing substances policy

BOSTON -- Veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been suspended for two games by the NFL for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, "the policy violation is related to him using a prescribed medication without having a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption."

The 32-year-old Garoppolo was benched midseason during his first year with the Raiders, after going 3-3 as a starter with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. Garoppolo had been brought in by head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler to replace Derek Carr the prior offseason, but McDaniels and Ziegler were both fired on Nov. 1. Interim head coach Antonio Pierce opted for Aidan O'Connell at quarterback the rest of the way.

Unsurprisingly, Schefter also reported that the Raiders are expected to release Garoppolo before next month, ending his brief tenure with the team after one unsuccessful season.

With a two-game suspension to start next year, Garoppolo will be entering his 11th NFL season, after he was taken as a second-round pick by the Patriots in 2014. He only started two games and threw 94 passes during his three-and-a-half-year Patriots career before being traded to San Francisco. There, Garoppolo played in 57 games (55 starts) and went 38-17 as a starter, while also going 4-2 in the playoffs (albeit with four touchdowns and six interceptions). Garoppolo was expected to leave the 49ers before the 2022 season, but he ended up starting 10 games and going 7-3 before suffering a season-ending foot injury.

He signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract with the Raiders last offseason, with $33.75 million being fully guaranteed. By releasing him next month, the Raiders will avoid paying Garoppolo the $11.25 million he was due to earn on the fifth day of the new league year.

So after spending parts of six seasons with the 49ers, Garoppolo is poised to be joining his second team in as many years this offseason. Given the performance, the suspension, and the lack of former coaches and executives eager to sign him, his market will not be quite as robust as it was a year ago.