3 quarterbacks SF 49ers must avoid if they move Jimmy Garoppolo

There’s still plenty of speculation the SF 49ers could move on from Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, but these three replacements wouldn’t be a fit.

Once the LA Rams acquired quarterback Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions, the SF 49ers appeared poised to retain their starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, into 2021.

At least according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who reported the Niners were awfully cool on the idea of picking up Stafford in a blockbuster offseason trade.

There may be some truth to that. But it’s just as possible San Francisco wants to move on from Garoppolo anyway. For starters, Garoppolo has missed the bulk of the 2018 and 2020 seasons with serious injuries, and there have been ongoing questions about his ability to elevate head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense to levels not yet seen since Shanahan took over duties in 2017.

Plus, with a potential total cap hit of $26.6 million in 2021 against a would-be cap savings of $24.1 million if moved, the financial elements of Garoppolo’s presence could ultimately force the SF 49ers to move on in an attempt to retain the remaining core of their roster in the coming years.

Currently, it’s unclear what the Niners’ plans for Garoppolo are moving forward. That much is a given.

But let’s assume San Francisco moves on from Jimmy G this offseason. That’ll open up a void under center, and it’s a massive hole the team will need to fill.

And while it’s fun to speculate which names could find themselves donning red and gold in 2021, it’s just as important to note which quarterbacks Shanahan and the SF 49ers should absolutely avoid even if they’d be made available at any point between now and Week 1.

Here are three the Niners should steer clear from.