After flirting with the idea of signing Garcia back in 1999, and then again in 2007, the Raiders have finally pulled the trigger on a deal that will return Garcia to his Bay Area roots.
A native of Gilroy, Garcia attended Gilroy High School, Gavilan College and San Jose State. The high point of his NFL career came during his stint with the 49ers, where from 1999-2003 he started 71 of 80 games and was voted to the Pro Bowl 3 times.
Cable's decision to sign Garcia as a backup will undoubtedly leave current backups Andrew Walter and Brad Gradkowski competing for the number 3 spot.
With his long term contract of $32 million, the Raiders are definitely all-in when it comes to Jamarcus Russell as their starter. As long as Russell is playing well, it is highly unlikely that Garcia will see any action as a starter. This move does however bring depth to the Raiders' quarterback position, as well as some veteran leadership both on and off the field.
Although, Russell's starting job may not be necessarily threatened by Garcia's presence, it may help to elevate his level of play knowing that the Raiders now have a veteran Pro Bowler waiting to step in if needed.
If only for one season, Garcia is pretty happy to be back in the Bay Area and playing for the Raiders.
"I grew up a fan of the Raiders," Garcia said in December. "I grew up a fan of the great players that came through there and so many great things that had happened through the '70s and '80s with the team.
"And I remember those years, and I idolized so many of the players. So, if I couldn't play for the Raiders, to play against the Raiders was just a great thrill to me in the sense of really creating a sense of excitement and
emotion during the game."
