Comparing Jimmy Garoppolo trade value to other quarterback trades

Jimmy Garoppolo Market, Trade No. 1: 49ers trade Alex Smith to Chiefs

In some ways, arguably, the Niners are trying to replicate what the Kansas City Chiefs did in 2017 and the immediate offseason thereafter when they had veteran quarterback Alex Smith but elected to use a first-round draft pick on Patrick Mahomes to replace him.

The Chiefs let Mahomes marinate behind Smith his rookie season, eventually moving the latter to the Washington Football Team for a third-round draft pick and cornerback Kendall Fuller.

That might help set a Jimmy Garoppolo market this offseason: a day-two pick and a starting-caliber player in return. But it’s San Francisco’s own trade of Smith that should call some focus here, too, the March 2013 deal that sent him packing to Kansas City in the first place after the 49ers deployed quarterback Colin Kaepernick en route to a Super Bowl appearance the previous season.

The Niners traded Smith for two second-round picks, which might be a somewhat accurate representation of what Jimmy Garoppolo could command.

Smith was much more protective with the ball than Garoppolo, though, yet Kaepernick had already revealed his upside to the football world — an element Trey Lance has yet to fully display.

As such, Smith was more expendable to San Francisco than Garoppolo right now.

Whether or not that has any bearing on Jimmy G’s trade value is still anyone’s guess.