3 non-Deebo Samuel trades 49ers may engineer in NFL Draft

Trade No. 1: 49ers finally move Jimmy Garoppolo

Oh, that’s right. The Deebo Samuel news has almost completely put a damper on all the speculation surrounding San Francisco’s efforts to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.

Garoppolo’s market has cooled a lot after initial thoughts pointed him to being moved amid what was thought to be a bad offseason market for quarterbacks. However, with the dust having (mostly) settled on quarterback moves, there are still teams likely in the hunt for an established signal-caller.

This is made more apparent in the light of this year’s NFL Draft not being particularly great for quarterbacks.

The Carolina Panthers are one of those few remaining teams in need of a quarterback unless they want to concede the 2022 season by rolling with Sam Darnold again. And while the 49ers may have to accept a lot less in trade compensation for Garoppolo than they initially hoped to get, at least they’d receive something in return and could get him completely off the books.

Carolina owns the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s draft but won’t pick again until the aforementioned No. 137 overall selection acquired from the Los Angeles Rams. Depending on what the Panthers do with that pick, namely at quarterback, Garoppolo might wind up being the contingency plan.

Sure, the Niners would have liked to get more out of a Jimmy G trade. But to be done with all the speculation (and to be rid of his contract) would be a small victory nonetheless.

The 2022 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 28.