SF 49ers roster: 4 players who could be traded before 2022
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: SF 49ers Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
Yes, more chatter about San Francisco considering a trade of its starting quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the signs are pointing to Jimmy G remaining the starter in 2021. While that’ll cost the SF 49ers $26.4 million, it seems as if they’ll be willing to accept that financial commitment with the understanding there aren’t any clear-cut upgrades available right now.
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But it doesn’t remove the possibility the Niners invest heavily in a prospective quarterback with their top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft while keeping Garoppolo on the interim.
There’s a similar precedent for this back in 2017 when the Kansas City Chiefs already had an established starter, Alex Smith, only to aggressively trade up in Round 1 to grab quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes then sat behind Smith for his rookie year before the Chiefs traded Smith off to Washington in 2018.
Perhaps San Francisco follows a similar path.
Garoppolo enters the final year of his contract in 2022, and a trade early that year would free up $25.6 million in cap space. Even if Jimmy G balls out this season, it’s likely the same discussion about his future will be on the table again this time next year.
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All contractual and cap information courtesy of Over the Cap.