Jimmy Garoppolo to Buccaneers to replace Tom Brady (it could happen)

The 49ers still seem likely to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo in 2022, and the uncertainty of Tom Brady’s future means the Buccaneers are now in play as a possible destination.

Not getting totally ahead of ourselves here (OK, we are to an extent), but even if the San Francisco 49ers wind up winning Super Bowl LVI this February, they’re still all but guaranteed to move on from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.

The “why?” is pretty simple to figure out.

Garoppolo is going to cost the Niners $27 million in 2022, according to Over the Cap, yet over $25 million of that could be cleared if San Francisco parts ways with him in one way or another. For a team with $11 million in cap space, currently, and the need to extend other star players like wide receiver Deebo Samuel and EDGE Nick Bosa, freeing up that cash would go a long way.

And it would fully open up the door for the 49ers to field their top investment from the 2021 NFL Draft, quarterback Trey Lance.

There has been no shortage of potential Garoppolo landing spots in 2022, namely from the long list of quarterback-needy teams amid an offseason market that doesn’t seem overly good for quarterbacks, either in free agency or the draft.

Yet another team could potentially emerge as a possible suitor of Garoppolo’s services.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, now eliminated from the NFL playoffs after winning the Super Bowl a season ago.

Quarterback Tom Brady, who’ll turn 45 years old when next season starts and already has another Super Bowl ring outside the guise of the New England Patriots, remained non-committal about playing another season.

So, if he somehow shocks the NFL world and calls it quits, the Bucs might be another team possibly in the market for Garoppolo.

Let’s explore why.