Jimmy Garoppolo pushed his presumptive lame-duck year to a conference championship game and, after playing hurt in the season’s final weeks, will soon undergo thumb surgery. While it is not certain the 49ers deal their four-plus-year starter soon, that is Garoppolo’s expectation.
The 30-year-old passer spoke with GM John Lynch on Monday regarding his potential departure, wanting, understandably, to end up in a winning situation. This is relevant considering Garoppolo’s contract contains a no-trade clause, which allows the veteran QB to approve his destination. However, the clause expires at the start of the 2022 league year March 16.
“I was talking to John yesterday about finding the right destination and whatever the future holds, just doing it the right way,” Garoppolo said, via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. “I’ve got a long career ahead of me. I’m excited about it. I’m excited about the opportunities to come. I just want to go to a place where they want to win. That’s really what I’m in this game for.”
Garoppolo’s contract calls for a $24.2MM base salary in its final year, 2022. The 49ers can move the contract easily; they’d be tagged with just $1.4MM in dead money in a deal. The 49ers would save more $25.6MM by trading their starter, tying them to Trey Lance‘s rookie contract for the foreseeable future. CEO Jed York previously floated the idea of Garoppolo sticking around in 2022, but signs currently point to a trade.
Any team that trades for Garoppolo would likely complete an extension, and suitors figure to emerge. The upcoming quarterback market potentially including Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson would stand to complicate matters on the AFC side, with the long-QB-needy Broncos having been connected to the former for nearly a year. Wilson has also been linked to a Denver destination, and his Seattle future remains murky. Garoppolo qualifies as a cheaper backup plan, in the event Rodgers or Wilson are unattainable.
Other teams could beat the Broncos to the punch while they wait on the bigger names, however. The Steelers also loom as a winning team in need at quarterback, but they have also been mentioned as being likelier to steer clear of a veteran acquisition. The Browns could be in the mix as well, but a fifth Baker Mayfield season looms. The NFC side could feature more interested parties, with Carolina, New Orleans, Washington and now Tampa Bay residing as prospective suitors.
“As far as the whole trade situation, John has been very clear with it,” Garoppolo said. “I think they’re trying to do the best for me; I’m trying to do the best for them and we’re working together. We haven’t really made too much progress on it, but I think things will start happening here pretty quickly.”
How many teams is he a clear upgrade from?
Carolina
Denver
Houston
Miami
Giants
Saints
Am I missing any?
Steelers.
Atlanta
Washington Football Team
Lions
TB (if Tom retires)
Steelers
GB (If Love is their starter)
And I think that about covers it, so technically Jimmy, G COULD potentially be an improvement for roughly 9 teams or so depending on a few factors.
With that said, the 39ers shouldn’t have any issues clearing Jimmy G off their cap, recouping some draft capital, AND using that cap room to resign OG Laken Tomlinson, Edge Arden Key, and possibly DJ Jones. The 49ers also DESPERATELY need to improve their secondary, so they should be able to finance sle
They won’t get much in return in terms of “draft capital”. The D is clearly the star of the Niners. If they thought Jimmy was a worthy starter on a contender, they woulda never traded the farm for an unproven guy from North Baked Potato St. Especially with a 25 mil price tag AND a NTC. The 9ers will be lucky to get a 6th rounder for him.
Lol
Browns
I said ages ago Steelers should get him.
He’s not elite or even that great but he’s managed to get his team deep into the playoffs multiple times.
Against the Rams they couldn’t run the ball which is what they had relied on all season and it made Jimmy G have to lead them around the park. And in fairness if Tartt had caught that INT he would be on his way to another super bowl.
At the Steelers he would have a solid running game and some receivers. Would have a rebuilding o line and a solid defence similar to the niners. Not to say he WILL take them to the super bowl but I think he COULD. Which is bette than what they’ll get from Rudolph of Haskins
I’m struck by that line in the article about the Steelers perhaps “steering clear of veteran QB’s”
Sheesh. Then trade up to get Pickett
Our offensive line is nowhere close to that of the 49ers right now. We also don’t have Kyle Shanahan running our offense unfortunately
Washington, and I’d argue Indianapolis too
Tamp
Tampa.
I can’t believe I forgot Tampa. He may be Brady’s successor after all
25mil a year for not being great? Geez
25 million a year is ridiculously cheap as far as QBs go these days.
$25M is cheap for a reliable starter but constant injuries and age would suggest Jimmy will wind down his career as a backup. You can get those for much less than $25M.
His agent will point out that he just took his team to the NFC championship game. While he might not be great, there’s no doubt that a few teams with less than average QBs will throw in an offer. The experts suggest this is a poor QB class and many of those teams are not drafting high
Maybe his team took him to the NFC championship game
No good agent will admit that…
He’s 30…
On the open market this guy is going to get $18-20M per season, that’s just the going rate for QBs these days. No starter on veteran contract is getting signed for peanuts. Hell, Dalton just got paid $10M for this past season (which may be a knock on the Bears more than anything)
Middle of the league kind of guy – but the bottom half of the league can’t wait to overpay him.
He has a no-trade clause so basically out of the teams that need a QB, aren’t horrible and have nice weather = Tampa Bay.
Not anymore, it voids for this season.
It voids in the new league year yes, but if the 9ers wait until then he counts against their cap, which is $24M more than if they trade him prior. I think.
You sure about that? That’s not how trades typically work in the NFL. Only the signing/restructure bonuses usually stick with the trading team….salary goes with the player to the team making the acquisition
The 49ers are in a bind. If they void him then he walks away and they get nothing. Better to trade him now and let his next team deal with the contract or give him the money and trade him on draft day.
The 49ers have been shopping Jimmy for over a year with no takers. There isn’t a great demand for expensive aging QBs who can’t stay healthy.
Seattle Seahawks should trade Russ for a boatload , and do a mid rebuild.
Get jimmy g, build the line up. Seahawks are a few twists and turns and a injured everyone for. Competing in playoffs last year. We’ll be back