Niner Noise
FanSided

Biggest winners & losers from 49ers’ record deal with Jimmy Garoppolo

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to their game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levis Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to their game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levis Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – NOVEMBER 12: Quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins looks to pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at FedExField on November 12, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – NOVEMBER 12: Quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins looks to pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at FedExField on November 12, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Winners: Quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins

Russell Wilson isn’t the only quarterback to likely benefit from Jimmy Garoppolo and his massive contract.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is set to hit free agency after 2018. According to Spotrac.com’s market value tool, Ryan is worth an average annual salary of $29.7 million. With an MVP award and Super Bowl appearance under his belt, it’s safe to assume his next contract will be much higher than that of Garoppolo’s by 2019.

The same could be said of Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers is vastly underpaid at an average of $22 million per year on a deal expiring in 2019. There are those who may argue Rodgers is a better quarterback at this point in his career than Tom Brady. And any contract reworkings could easily make Rodgers the highest-paid player in NFL history.

But the quarterback standing to benefit the most from Garoppolo in the nearest future is the Washington Redskins’ Kirk Cousins.

Cousins will hit free agency this offseason — all but guaranteed, following Washington’s acquisition of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. Cousins’ market value might be lower than the others — $25.6 million. But the multitude of so many quarterback-needy teams likely creates a bidding war for Cousins’ services in 2018.

And that will only serve to drive his price tag upward.