NFL free agency officially kicked off on Monday, with a flurry of signings throughout the day. One of Monday's biggest signings, and definitely the biggest quarterback signing, was Jimmy Garoppolo joining the Las Vegas Raiders.

Garoppolo had been the San Francisco 49ers starter for a while, but after they drafted Trey Lance in 2021, it became clear that he wouldn't be with them much longer. The Raiders also needed a new quarterback after parting ways with Derek Carr, and they're hoping that Garoppolo can fill those shoes. This move also reunites Garoppolo with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, who was his offensive coordinator during his time with the New England Patriots.

With this signing, Las Vegas has addressed arguably its biggest need this offseason. That begs the question, though, how much closer does this move the Raiders to that elusive Super Bowl? Today, we're going to answer that question.

Without further ado, here is how the Garoppolo signing impacts the Raiders' Super Bowl chances in 2023.

How Jimmy Garoppolo signing impacts Raiders' Super Bowl hopes

In many ways, Garoppolo isn't that much different from Carr. Both are 31 (although Carr turns 32 later this month whereas Garoppolo doesn't until November), and both are generally seen as more “game-manager” quarterbacks. However, there are a few differences between them that make Garoppolo a more appealing option.

On the field, Garoppolo is a good bit safer with the ball than Carr is. The former threw just four interceptions in 11 games last season, while the latter threw 14 picks in 15 games. Granted, part of that is due to the system they played in, and Garoppolo also threw fewer touchdowns. However, if he can continue to protect the football, then it should greatly help the Raiders' offense.

Speaking of each team's system, it will be interesting to see how Jimmy Garoppolo adjusts to Las Vegas' offense. The Raiders have very good weapons in Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and the newly-signed Jakobi Meyers. While a slight downgrade from the 49ers' weapons of Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk, it is still a very strong supporting cast to work with.

However, other areas of the offense may be harder to adjust to. Even though it's not bad, the Raiders' offensive line is simply not as good as the 49ers'. McDaniels' scheme also requires more of the quarterback than Kyle Shanahan's, although Garoppolo's familiarity with it should help ease the adjustment.

Garoppolo's contract should also be relatively manageable for the Raiders. His three-year, $72.75 million deal is affordable for a starting-caliber quarterback, certainly more affordable than the four-year, $150 million deal Carr got from the Saints. Garoppolo's cap hit this year is only $16.3 million, leaving the Raiders with over $24 million to work with now.

Arguably the most intriguing way the Garoppolo signing affects the Raiders is how they will approach the NFL Draft. Most had Las Vegas taking a quarterback at seventh overall, but now it's not so clear. Sure, the Raiders could still take a quarterback and develop him behind Garoppolo for a while, but this signing greatly expands their options. Maybe they could invest in the offensive line or give their defense a much-needed boost.

The Raiders are a better team after signing Garoppolo, but are they Super-Bowl caliber? It's difficult to say that they are. Yes, they addressed their quarterback need, but there are still bigger issues on the roster. The AFC is also loaded, especially the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs still as dominant as ever. This team has Wild-Card potential with Jimmy Garoppolo, but the odds are too against them to be a true contender.