Jimmy Garoppolo to Browns may not be realistic after all

The Browns have long been hinted as a potential destination for Jimmy Garoppolo, but the Deshaun Watson saga may have taken a turn against the possibility.

The San Francisco 49ers are rapidly approaching the endgame when it comes to Jimmy Garoppolo, with the quarterback starting to throw again and training camp fast approaching the team.

It seems unlikely at absolute best that Garoppolo will be on the roster by that stage, and the team will be looking to offload him sooner rather than later.

Read More: Buccaneers in on 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo (except they won’t be)

The case has been made that the Cleveland Browns present the ideal partner given their cap space and potential issues with quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson is currently undergoing an disciplinary investigation into accusations of sexual harassment and assault and his punishment is set to be imminent.

With the hearing finished last week, the only thing left is for a recommendation to be given to commissioner Roger Goodell who will then hand down the punishment.

The NFL were originally asking for at least a one-year suspension, but Cleveland sportscaster Tony Rizzo has dropped a huge clue that Watson’s punishment may actually be significantly less than expected.

If true, this would be a blow for the Niners if they attempted to exploit this situation to their benefit. Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett is not good enough to entrust the sort of team that Cleveland has assembled for a whole season, but he’s a perfectly capable backup who can hold the fort for four to six games.

If the situation plays out this way, Cleveland instantly vanishes as a trade partner for the 49ers, and San Francisco is almost back to square one.

The Niners will no doubt be looking onto the upcoming recommendation for Watson’s punishment with great interest. At the risk of sounding obvious, San Francisco would love to trade Garoppolo as opposed to cutting him.

If he is out for only four to six games, there’s always Seattle. Right?