David Garrard is unlikely to be the answer for the Oakland Raiders' quarterback problems.
That's because the former Jacksonville Jaguars signal-caller has a herniated disc in his back that will require surgery, he told Fox Sports reporter and NFL Network contributor Jay Glazer on Monday.
The surgery will sideline Garrard for four to six weeks, Garrard's agent, Albert Irby, told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora.
Garrard also confirmed the surgery Monday via a Twitter post: "Thx for all the prayers. I will be having surgery on my herniated disc at some point this week. So that I can get back on the field."
An MRI exam on Monday revealed the injury after Garrard had been feeling pain from the ailment he sustained during training camp with the Jaguars. When he first hurt his back, Garrard was informed that he would be fine, Irby told La Canfora. So, Garrard and his camp were surprised by the extent of the injury as well as the need for surgery.
Garrard told Glazer that he wanted to disclose the injury to the Raiders, who lost Jason Campbell to a broken collarbone during Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns and need a quarterback to replace him.
Garrard's surgery falls outside the timeline in which players can file injury grievances, as outlined by the new collective bargaining agreement. Worker's compensation is Garrard's lone option for pursuing a claim against the Jaguars.
"This kind of injury shows itself weeks down the road," Irby said. "He just started to feel the pain last week. We just realized today that it was related to the bulging disc he suffered in training camp."
The Jaguarsreleased Garrard days before their season opener, and the veteran quarterback has struggled to find a team since becoming a free agent.
