49ers news: 5 possible trade partners for Jimmy Garoppolo

49ers Trade Partner No. 1: Washington Football Team

Prior to 2020, it would have been inconceivable for Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder to want to do a deal with Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. Yet head coach Ron Rivera changed all that, and the mid-draft transaction between the two teams for perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams that year opened up the door for more future deals.

Like the Colts and Steelers, Washington has itself a high-quality defense within a division, the NFC East, that remains wide open through five weeks. There’s offensive weaponry, too, but it’s largely being held back because of quarterbacking.

Journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick remains out with an injury, which opened the door for Taylor Heinicke to get starts under center. But it would be foolish to assume Heinicke is a long-term option, and Washington will be hard-pressed to find an adequate replacement during the upcoming offseason, either by way of free agency or the 2022 draft.

Read More: Jimmy Garoppolo admits 49ers ‘could’ trade him sooner than later

The Football Team has over $12 million in cap space this year, which still requires some financial jockeying, likely on both sides of the deal. Next year, however, Washington has nearly $65 million in cap space.

More than enough to afford Garoppolo’s 2022 cap hit while also building up a solid team around him in free agency.

As long as Snyder, embattled in his own right, doesn’t get in the way, it wouldn’t be a shocker to see another potential deal go down between the Football Team and the Niners.

The 2022 NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. ET.