4 best fits for Jimmy Garoppolo (if he moves on from 49ers in 2022)
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Jimmy Garoppolo to the New Orleans Saints
Similar to the Vikings, albeit for very different reasons, the New Orleans Saints might not have the ability to land an expensive quarterback during the offseason, namely due to them projected as being over $63 million above the 2022 NFL salary cap.
There are a few things clear here, though.
First, New Orleans isn’t going to be a true contender with quarterback Taysom Hill, and his gadget-like usage is probably more beneficial to the Saints’ future than him actually being asked to serve as a traditional signal-caller. Additionally, veteran quarterback Jameis Winston isn’t likely to return after tearing his ACL earlier this season.
If New Orleans can figure out the cap situation, though, Jimmy Garoppolo does make a lot of sense.
For starters, the AFC South, outside the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is another division in limbo and wide open behind the front-running Bucs. Running back Alvin Kamara, one of the best dual-purpose weapons in the NFL right now, could also take pressure off Garoppolo from having to rely solely on his limited passing abilities.
There’s a strong offensive line in NOLA, too.
More importantly, Garoppolo would pair with head coach Sean Payton, one of the league’s most innovative and productive coaches out there, who’d surely be able to get the most out of Jimmy G regardless of the context.