49ers news: Plenty of NFL trade deadline deals impact San Francisco

49ers exploring a deal with Saints for Jimmy Garoppolo?

With the hours counting down before the 2021 trade deadline, it’s understandable why the chatter about the New Orleans Saints hitting the desperation button might be increasing.

Especially after starting quarterback Jameis Winston suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the year in the wake of New Orleans pulling off a shocking win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Saints head coach Sean Payton said he’s content with backups Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill, but that won’t rule out the possibility of a last-second move to help keep New Orleans in the playoff picture.

One name discussed, at least in this Yardbreaker article, is the Niners’ own, Jimmy Garoppolo.

Garoppolo, embattled for much of the year already and staring at rookie Trey Lance as the heir apparent, is coming off his best game of the season by helping beat the Chicago Bears 33-22. As such, Jimmy G’s stock is at a season-high. And if San Francisco wants to make a move, the time would be now.

A massive obstacle, though, is the fact Over the Cap gives the Saints just $891,974 in salary cap space right now.

New Orleans could potentially get out from under Garoppolo’s $27 million cap hit next season, just like the 49ers can with relative ease. But absorbing the prorated amount of Garoppolo’s $26.4 million hit in 2021 is pretty much insurmountable.

Unless the Niners pull a move like the Broncos did with Von Miller, paying the bulk of Garoppolo’s salary this season in exchange for higher draft capital in return.

The 2021 NFL trade deadline is Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. ET.