49ers rumors: 3 reasons why Teddy Bridgewater is on team’s radar
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers are trying to reduce Jimmy Garoppolo’s salary
With approximately $12.5 million in cap space and nearly 40 pending free agents of one kind or another, the Niners aren’t exactly in a position where they can spend lucratively or freely this offseason.
Especially not without some serious roster alterations or by targeting bargain-basement free agents in 2021.
Again, Garoppolo is poised to make $26.4 million in 2021. But after missing the bulk of two of the last three years because of injuries, it’s pretty safe to assume he wouldn’t command that kind of money on a brand-new free-agent deal if he somehow was to hit the open market this offseason. Garoppolo’s camp knows that, and San Francisco knows it, too.
That’s probably why Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio suggesting something of the sort (h/t 49ers Webzone):
"Maybe this is just a step toward eventually going to Jimmy and saying, “Hey, we can’t pay you $25 (million dollars) this year. We can’t do it. That’s why we called about Teddy. He’s coming in at 17 (million dollars). Jimmy, have your agent, Don Yee, call around, see if there’s anyone out there that would pay you 25 million if we cut you because there isn’t.” I think that’s part of it. If you keep Jimmy Garoppolo, you cannot pay him 25 million this year. He hasn’t earned it because he can’t stay healthy."
Garoppolo’s camp obviously wouldn’t want to do this. But the 49ers likely would if they could, simply tear up the remaining two years on Garoppolo’s deal and negotiate a new contract not unlike what they did with soon-to-be former Niners running back Jerick McKinnon entering 2020.
It’s unlikely Garoppolo and his agent, Don Yee, would agree to it. Yet an open “pursuit” of Teddy Bridgewater could pressure Garoppolo’s camp to settle.