Time is running out for the 49ers to trade Jimmy Garoppolo, but it appears as if the market is heating up again with the preseason around the corner.
In an ideal world, the San Francisco 49ers would have traded veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo months ago, getting a solid return package from one of the many quarterback-needy teams that existed earlier this offseason.
However, in light of Garoppolo undergoing offseason shoulder surgery and the volatile nature of what turned out to be a crazy quarterback carousel, Jimmy G remains on the Niners roster despite their vocal declaration of second-year pro Trey Lance being named the starter from this point onward.
Of course, there’s been no shortage of Garoppolo trade talk all offseason. Potential suitors have come and gone, then have resurfaced again only to disappear with training camp coming to a close and the 2022 preseason just around the corner. But, with two weeks of camp revealing some telling developments about many a team’s own quarterbacking situations, the thought of Garoppolo finally being traded after months of speculation and rumor, perhaps a deal winds up happening awfully soon.
And it was almost as if NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco was advertising this to potentially interested teams in light of Garoppolo throwing again:
https://twitter.com/MaioccoNBCS/status/1554956387444146176
Granted, San Francisco might not receive a top-end NFL Draft pick in return for the quarterback, and it’ll be tough to move all of his $24.2 million base salary as it is.
But that shouldn’t stop the 49ers from desperately trying, and these three teams could ultimately have interest now with the regular season just over a month away.
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.
Steelers should trade with 49ers for Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco would love to see a bidding war emerge for Jimmy Garoppolo, and one particular way to do it is by having two divisional rivals seeking the same player to solve similar needs.
As for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they aren’t worried so much about player suspensions as the Browns are, but Pittsburgh is watching as all three of its quarterbacks in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era are floundering in training camp.
Mitchell Trubisky, the former No. 2 overall draft pick from 2017, hasn’t looked good. And the Steelers’ first-round rookie from this year, Kenny Pickett, has looked more like an overwhelmed first-year pro than anything else.
That’s effectively left the holdover, Mason Rudolph, as head coach Mike Tomlin’s best option.
The thought of the 49ers engaging in trade talks with Pittsburgh for Garoppolo isn’t anything new, but consider this recent twist from Andrew Kersten of Steeler Nation:
"Since the 49ers are clear they want to part ways with Garoppolo, the asking price likely won’t be high. With already a loaded quarterback room in Pittsburgh, this opens the door for the Steelers to trade someone along the likes of Mason Rudolph along with a late-round pick so Garoppolo could slide into Rudolph’s spot. That is an instant upgrade. So far, in Rudolph’s three-year career, he’s played second fiddle to Ben Roethlisberger and has only amassed 2,366 yards passing, 16 touchdowns, and a QBR of 80.9. Compare that to Garoppolo’s career and it’s not even close – 11,162 passing yards, 71 touchdowns and a QBR of 98.9."
Related Story: Browns, Steelers to engage in bidding war over Jimmy Garoppolo?
Now, Kersten pointed out how the Steelers would be challenged to absorb Garoppolo’s salary for 2022 with just over $14 million in cap space, and who knows if the Niners would be interested in taking Rudolph in the return exchange. If they did it to merely move Garoppolo, it’d help Pittsburgh’s cap situation by $3 million.
Either way, if the Steelers are looking solely at Trubisky or Rudolph at the helm, an embarrassing fourth-place finish in the AFC North (even behind the Browns) could seriously be in play.
Giants should trade with 49ers for Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco would prefer to trade Jimmy Garoppolo out of the conference and to an AFC team, but since the 49ers don’t play the New York Giants this year, trying to move him to the G-Men has to be in play.
Especially in light of first-year head coach Brian Daboll inheriting quarterback Daniel Jones, who is looking more and more like a top NFL Draft bust with each passing year. Perhaps each week.
Including this ugly throw from New York’s training camp that has gone viral:
Im so disappointed. pic.twitter.com/390OCowqbK
— Ashton Anthony (@ashtongriffith_) August 6, 2022
It’s not looking as if Jones’ bad throw above is just an isolated case either. Additional reports have called out the No. 6 overall pick from the 2019 draft as having equally frustrating performances during camp, too.
Unlike either the Browns and Steelers, who have long odds to win the AFC North, the NFC East is still a very winnable division, and Daboll would certainly appreciate Garoppolo’s locker-room respect and playoff experience.
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However, the Giants have only a shade above $5 million in cap space, which would likely require either the Niners absorbing some of Garoppolo’s salary and/or taking a player like Jones (and his 2022 cap hit) back in return to make the deal go through.
If the return compensation in draft capital is sufficient enough for San Francisco, though, it would certainly be worthwhile.
Unless Jones suddenly turns things around between now and Week 1, which doesn’t seem likely.