Jimmy Garoppolo trade now hinges on Deshaun Watson (again)

No, this isn’t the first time Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers have had to wait and see what happens with Deshaun Watson this offseason.

The San Francisco 49ers would like to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, yet they’re stuck in an uncomfortable spot as they await what happens with fellow signal-caller Deshaun Watson.

Wait, are we talking about the Houston Texans exploring trade possibilities for Watson earlier this offseason, or are we looking at whether or not Watson, now with the Cleveland Browns, will be suspended for 2022 amid allegations of off-field sexual misconduct?

Well, both.

Houston making Watson available for trade earlier this offseason completely threw a wrench in the Niners’ already grim hopes of trading Garoppolo. The Browns weren’t the only team in the mix, as the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints were all reportedly offering up lucrative packages to take advantage of the civil war between Watson and the Texans.

Garoppolo, meanwhile, had few (if any) suitors and certainly was considered a far less-desirable contingency plan.

By the time Cleveland finally acquired Watson, those other teams went with other options, leaving Garoppolo on San Francisco’s roster.

With Baker Mayfield traded, Jimmy Garoppolo must await Deshaun Watson developments again

Watson going to the Browns ultimately made their incumbent quarterback, Baker Mayfield, both disgruntled and available. On Wednesday, the Panthers’ contingency plan involved trading for Mayfield, thereby crossing one of the few remaining teams potentially interested in Jimmy G off that list.

Now, Garoppolo and the 49ers have to wait and see what happens with Watson.

As you may or may not know, Watson could face an indefinite suspension despite the trade, but the Niners might have to wait a while before any news develops there.

This, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano (h/t Pro Football Talk):

"They weren’t able to come close enough late last week. The league is still insisting from what I’ve been told on an indefinite suspension that would allow Watson to . . . apply for reinstatement after a certain period of time. Initially they wanted that period to be a year but they moved a little closer to Watson and were talking about, “You know, you can reapply after 12 games,” for example. But Watson is still not interested in signing up for that indefinite suspension."

Sounds like a total impasse, and Garoppolo is still going to have to wait.

Browns the last possible suitor for Jimmy Garoppolo?

With the Panthers no longer in play, it’s looking more and more like Cleveland would be the lone team interested in Garoppolo, assuming Watson is suspended long term and it’s not wholly comfortable with perennial backup Jacoby Brissett being the interim starter.

For a good Browns team ready to win now, there is some merit to trading for Garoppolo, as Niner Noise’s Jeremy Wohlfart pointed out. Cleveland has plenty of cap space to absorb Jimmy G’s contract, yet 2023 presents an awfully big challenge there with the Browns currently $30 million over the cap next season.

Simply put, if Cleveland wants to navigate Watson’s situation, it’d better strike now.

Of course, both San Francisco and Cleveland know there isn’t much of a market for Garoppolo’s services, so no bidding war will likely come into play. So, it’s not going to be too surprising to hear more “reports” suggesting the 49ers aren’t planning on releasing their quarterback outright.

Additionally, the Browns can play hardball, too, stating they’re happy with Brissett and/or fully anticipate Watson not being suspended for a lengthy period of time.

Yes, this is quite the standoff. And it’s likely one that won’t be resolved anytime soon, at least until Watson’s situation is settled.