The 49ers may be pressed to release Jimmy Garoppolo outright. And if they do, these four teams would pick up the phone right away to call the quarterback.
The San Francisco 49ers are eagerly awaiting the chance for a better trade market regarding veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
But they’re running out of time.
The Niners’ original plan, at least the one highly speculated, was to trade Jimmy G earlier this offseason and fully transition to the 2021 No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick, Trey Lance, yet Garoppolo’s offseason shoulder surgery and a slew of other obstacles ultimately left Garoppolo on San Francisco’s roster to this point just over a month out from training camp.
Equally caught in the conundrum is disgruntled Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, whose own situation with the Browns is made that much uglier with their presumed starter, Deshaun Watson, going through all kinds of off-field legal allegations.
Still, a poll from ESPN of NFL coaches, executives and agents suggested both Garoppolo and Mayfield are likely to be released this offseason instead of traded.
And if this winds up being the case for Jimmy G, these four not-interested-in-trading-for-him teams would happily consider negotiating their own contracts with Garoppolo’s camp directly.
Jimmy Garoppolo suitor No. 4: New England Patriots
There’s a good chance Garoppolo has to accept a new role as a backup this season, as the starter’s market has largely dried up. But, as we saw with now-Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitchell Trubisky this season, him taking a one-year role as Josh Allen’s backup with the Buffalo Bills last season led to yet another starting opportunity.
Perhaps that’s the context that puts Jimmy G on a course to reunite with his former head coach, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots.
Belichick’s affinity for Garoppolo is nothing new, and there was once the plan for Jimmy G to be the heir apparent to then-Pats quarterback Tom Brady before Garoppolo was traded to the Niners in 2017.
Now, of course, New England is fully deploying its 2021 draft pick, Mac Jones, and nothing is going to change that setup.
But, if anything was to happen to Jones this season, journeyman signal-caller Brian Hoyer would be the go-to guy, and that shouldn’t exactly inspire a lot of confidence from Belichick.
Still, a one- or two-year demotion to backup status might help Garoppolo’s future in the long run, and he’d likely welcome the opportunity to return to a familiar landscape.
Jimmy Garoppolo suitor No. 3: Houston Texans
While Jimmy Garoppolo wouldn’t exactly call the Houston Texans a familiar landscape, there is some continuity there with general manager Nick Caserio.
Caserio and Garoppolo spent time together with the Patriots, in case you were wondering.
True, Garoppolo wouldn’t exactly give the rebuilding Texans much of a leg up in an awfully difficult AFC this season, yet the AFC South isn’t exactly a powerhouse of a division, at least not with the Tennessee Titans regressing a bit on offense and the Jacksonville Jaguars likely continuing to “spin wheels” entering 2022.
Currently, Houston is poised to start second-year quarterback Davis Mills, who flashed some modest promise over 11 starts last season en route to a 66.8 completion percentage for 2,664 yards with 16 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, all the while boasting notably few offensive weapons in support.
As such, Garoppolo wouldn’t simply be handed the starting gig here, but he’d at least be in the running for it. That might be as good a chance as any, especially if the Texans want to put some added pressure on Mills to continue his development and maturation.
Jimmy Garoppolo suitor No. 2: Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are one of only a handful of teams with a clear-cut remaining need under center unless they’re foolishly thinking former New York Jets flameout quarterback Sam Darnold can suddenly turn a page after his disastrous 2021 campaign with the Panthers.
However, multiple reports stated Carolina balked at possibly trading for Jimmy Garoppolo because of his hefty $25.5 million post-trade salary it’d need to absorb, minus a renegotiated deal, and one can fairly wonder if Garoppolo’s shoulder surgery played a role here, too.
Baker Mayfield’s presence on the trade block also served as an obstacle, but one thing is likely.
If either Mayfield or Garoppolo became available as a free agent, should either be released by his respective team, the Panthers would be wise to act.
Read More: Jimmy Garoppolo and his uncertain future with 49ers
Sure, Carolina drafted former Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in Round 3. But Corral certainly doesn’t project to be a day-one starter this season, and it might take him at least a year or two before fully acclimating to life at the NFL level.
And with head coach Matt Rhule already on the hot seat and feeling the pressure of getting the Panthers back into the playoffs, finding upgrades under center should be a top priority.
Few would argue against Garoppolo being an upgrade over Darnold.
Jimmy Garoppolo suitor No. 1: Seattle Seahawks
Perhaps the biggest reason why San Francisco hasn’t released Jimmy Garoppolo outright is because of the suspicion one of its biggest NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, would come calling right away.
Not only would the Hawks be upgrading over their two options in the post-Russell Wilson era, Drew Lock and Geno Smith, but they’d also be gaining valuable insight into the 49ers’ offense under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Seattle might not look at Garoppolo as a long-term option, and it has seen firsthand the quarterback’s own limitations.
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However, with head coach Pete Carroll likely winding down his NFL coaching career, going out on something of a strong note and avoiding the possible pitfalls of a lengthy, painful rebuild are certainly motivational points towards finding an upgrade now instead of looking for one later.
Putting things bluntly, the Niners don’t want to see Jimmy G in a Seahawks uniform, yet he might relish the opportunity to square off against the team that just jettisoned him.
And while both Seattle and San Francisco likely wouldn’t want to trade with each other, all bets would be off if Garoppolo suddenly became available on the free-agent market.