San Francisco 49ers: 3 trade scenarios to move Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 1: 49ers use Jimmy Garoppolo to trade up with Jets

The previous trade with the Patriots is the likeliest to happen out of the three, but it certainly wouldn’t be the boldest.

So, what about the 49ers using Jimmy Garoppolo as a chip to trade up in the NFL Draft?

It sounds counterproductive to a point. But let’s grant two things: First, the Niners are set on BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. And second, the New York Jets are fully intending to draft Wilson at No. 2 overall, as some reports have already indicated.

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San Francisco would somehow have to convince Jets head coach Robert Saleh to step away from drafting Wilson, which won’t be easy.

A quarterback swap, one sending Garoppolo off in exchange for New York’s Sam Darnold, would be nothing close to enough to move up one spot, even though Garoppolo is a clear upgrade over the latter. It’s like the 49ers would have to involve, at the very least, a second-round pick to make the deal work.

But Garoppolo would be in position to reunite with Saleh, as well as his former pass-game coordinator, now-Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. That’s a potential bonus. And the Jets could then either decide between one of the other top quarterbacks in the NFL Draft available at No. 3 overall or another one of the top non-QB players like Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell, and Gang Green’s offensive line is in need of upgrades, too.

It would be a tall order and one of extreme negotiating and luck from the Niners’ vantage point. Still, it would put them in a prime position to land Wilson, who could at least sit behind Darnold in a San Francisco uniform if need be.