Predicting where Jimmy Garoppolo wants to go if 49ers trade him

No. 5: Jimmy Garoppolo to the Houston Texans

This wouldn’t be your primary preferred destination as a trade commodity. After all, the Houston Texans have the unfortunate distinction of being the first NFL team this season to be fully eliminated from playoff contention, and it’s highly likely first-year head coach David Culley is a one-and-done play-caller.

Being Jimmy Garoppolo, though, you hold onto your prior relationships from your New England Patriots days, and you recall working with former Pats front-office staffer, now-Texans general manager Nick Caserio, who at least tried to put a run-first system together in Houston that you could thrive with.

You also know fully well the Texans aren’t banking on veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor sticking around, and the early indications are rookie QB Davis Mills aren’t too promising either, all the while fully understanding three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson has all but played his final game in Houston.

The Texans, in line for at least a top-five draft pick in 2022, the first of four current selections in the first three rounds, are likely to get something ideal via a trade of Watson this offseason. And while your 30-year-old self won’t ideally want to wait two or three years before Houston is competitive again, at least you can take comfort knowing your $25.6 million post-trade cap hit should be somewhat safe with a Texans team that currently projects to have over $38 million in cap space next year before parting ways with Watson.

You’d be the clear-cut starter, the anchor of a rebuilding franchise eager to spend money.