SF 49ers: 5 trades John Lynch should explore during 2021 offseason

No. 3: SF 49ers send Jimmy Garoppolo back to Patriots

SF 49ers fans are in one camp or another when it comes to evaluating Jimmy Garoppolo’s future.

John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have voiced their commitment to Jimmy G, but the fact the Niners are still swirled in offseason rumors about changing things up under center suggests there’s a real possibility they move on from their quarterback this offseason.

Especially if it nets the projected $24.1 million in cap space.

While a trade would create a massive void at the game’s most important position (we’ll get to that in a moment), it’s possible San Francisco already has a potential suitor for Garoppolo’s services, the Patriots.

Remember, Bill Belichick once envisioned Garoppolo as the heir apparent for quarterback Tom Brady, but Brady stuck around in New England and ultimately forced Belichick to trade Garoppolo to the SF 49ers back in 2017. With Brady now gone, the Pats are back to searching for his replacement.

New England has the cap space to make things work, and Belichick would probably be warm to the idea of getting his former protege back at Gillette Stadium again.

Ultimately, the Patriots sending back a second-round pick, the initial round in which the Niners used a pick to get Jimmy G in the first place, would truly make all things come full circle.