These 3 teams must trade for Jimmy Garoppolo right away
By Peter Panacy
Browns should trade with 49ers for Jimmy Garoppolo
No quarterback this offseason has undergone more scrutiny than the Cleveland Browns’ Deshaun Watson, who is still facing just a six-game suspension in the wake of all those allegations of off-field sexual misconduct, yet NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s office is designating an outside party to seek an appeal, which could lead to a much longer suspension.
The Browns are one of the few teams that could easily take on Jimmy Garoppolo’s salary, as per Over the Cap, they’ve got a league-high $49 million in available cap space. But, in 2023, they’re currently projected at nearly $33 million over the cap, meaning this season is effectively the last best shot at competing for a playoff berth without having to engineer some serious roster changes.
Even ESPN’s Adam Schefter thought it possible, telling the Double Doink Podcast so:
Understandably, Cleveland isn’t going to engage in trade talks with the Niners if Watson’s current suspension holds, rather it’d look to backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett to toe the line over those first six games.
However, if Watson ends up being suspended for all of 2022, Brissett and his 37 career starts and 14-23 record dating back to 2016 aren’t exactly signs of success in an awfully tough AFC.
It might be just a one-year rental to bridge the gap to Watson’s return if he’s out a full year. But that might be the only way the Browns stay relevant this season.