Jimmy Garoppolo trade: 4 front-running teams now in the mix for 49ers QB

Jimmy Garoppolo trade suitor No. 1: Cleveland Browns

A new member of the lost list of teams that could have potentially been in on the hunt for Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, the Browns are also reportedly wanting in on Deshaun Watson, too.

The reason, however, is pretty interesting.

Cleveland’s soured relationship with quarterback Baker Mayfield has taken a turn for the worse in recent days, and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen’s comments about that confrontation were surely, well… provocative:

The Browns are rapidly in danger of becoming the fourth best team in the AFC North this offseason, thanks to the rise of the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals and the fact the Steelers seemingly never fail to hit expectations despite their own quarterback deficiencies last year with now-retired Ben Roethlisberger.

It might be a cruel joke for the Niners to ship Garoppolo off to Cleveland in the wake of a presumed Mayfield-Browns divorce.

But if Cleveland is willing to offer up a significant trade package, one which San Francisco simply can’t refuse, it’ll nevertheless be hard to turn down.