Jimmy Garoppolo remaining on schedule to resume throwing puts the prospect of a near-future trade on the table. But the ninth-year quarterback’s 2022 salary will be an issue for teams in an extreme buyer’s market.
The 49ers QB is due a $24.2MM base salary this season. Garoppolo’s injury-prone San Francisco career now including a throwing-shoulder surgery, along with the fact most quarterback-needy teams filled their needs months ago, limits the four-plus-year starter’s options. But the 49ers plan to give Garoppolo every opportunity to secure a trade.
The 49ers are planning to allow Garoppolo to negotiate his contract with other teams ahead of any potential trade, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Only two teams could even absorb Garoppolo’s contract without making other moves, and neither the Browns nor the Panthers would take the 49ers QB’s salary as is. Carolina is not planning to trade for Garoppolo.
His contract is the lead issue here, though some in the NFC South team’s organization are leery of the veteran passer’s injury history. But the Panthers and Seahawks, whichever team does not acquire Baker Mayfield, would be interested in the former Super Bowl starter as a free agent. The Texans have moved forward with Davis Mills, but a mid-draft report linked them to Garoppolo, who has a lengthy history with Nick Caserio. The second-year Houston GM has not shown much shyness about acquiring midlevel veterans on short-term deals, either.
A move by the 49ers to give Garoppolo a chance to reduce his 2022 cap number is not surprising, considering the alternatives. John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan said for months the plan is to move Garoppolo, and that will require a contract adjustment. An extension, one that would drop Garoppolo’s 2022 cap number, could be palatable to teams. But the group of prospective suitors also could wait out the 49ers, who would see Garoppolo’s $24.2MM salary go from non-guaranteed to fully guaranteed come Week 1. That opens the door to the scenario in which the team releases Garoppolo. Cutting the QB before Week 1 would tag the 49ers with barely any dead money, leaving the $25.6MM in additional funds — which could go to Deebo Samuel and/or Nick Bosa extensions.
Garoppolo serving as overpriced Trey Lance insurance does not appear in the cards, though it will still be interesting to see how the second-year QB looks in training camp. The 49ers could also benefit by an injury at another team’s camp. Then again, the Browns loom with their QB trade chip. Cleveland and Carolina have been discussing how to split up the four-year starter’s salary for weeks. The 49ers will attempt to give Garoppolo’s camp the opportunity to do that on its own, adding another wrinkle to a complicated quarterback offseason.
This guy bangs
Maybe the Browns? Ha!
Possibly if they get rid of Mayfield and Watson gets a full year even after his appeal. The Browns have 42 million in cap space. They will get even more space when Mayfield is traded. Maybe only 6-8 million
You’re serious? That Watson contract is by far on the Mount Rushmore of dumb decisions for all professional leagues, not just the NFL.
I’m not paying it. The Browns have 42 million in cap space and they are run by ivy league graduates in AB and Stefanski. The contract is the least of my concerns. When this is settled, it’ll be about nothing but football and Watson is very good at that
Agreed. Guy had weapons his whole career. It’s insane. Jimmy G is a get what you get. Baker is undeveloped qb and could be elite He needs to shed 35 lbs and follow through. In these times. Baker and Jimmy G are comps to Dwat
The Browns won’t gain any cap space from Mayfield being traded or released. 5th year options are fully guaranteed.
They will gain cap space if the other team picks up some of the salary. I doubt they release him. If you’re gonna pay him, you might want to just have him stay away and pick up a draft pick for him when he leaves in free agency. It’ll probably be a 4th or 5th. They most certainly gain cap space. It just depends on how much.
If another team trades for Mayfield, they have to pay him the full salary and Cleveland will be stuck with the full dead cap hit. They both essentially will have to take an 18+ million dollar cap hit for him.
Just looked it up. If they trade Mayfield, the only dead money is what the Browns pick up. A player can’t count against both teams for 18.9 million. If the Browns pick up 12 million of Mayfield’s salary, then they would save 6.9 million in cap, giving them almost 50 million in cap space
Panthers
Trey Lance. Starter? Just seems like he didn’t get enough game action last year to be able to take this step?
How are they this confident when they have a playoff winning qb.
Browns investing $ and effort n Watson with all his baggage is absolutely ridiculous and sends a horrible message. Ray Rice was shunned for far less an infraction
Ray Rice was horrible the last 2 years. And glad that you think dragging a woman by her hair is a less infraction than exposing himself and proposition the women
You are adorable.
The 49ers should cut him now instead of trying to get something for him. He likely ends up with the Panthers or Browns and gives SF a choice of Baker or Darnold as a backup.