Baker Mayfield‘s saga has generated considerable buzz, dwarfing Jimmy Garoppolo‘s time on the trade block for publicity. But the longtime 49ers starter is in the same boat, albeit with an unproven quarterback expected to replace him.
After entering the offseason with the plan of trading Garoppolo, the 49ers remain hopeful they can do so. But that is no longer a lock. After John Lynch alluded to the possibility Garoppolo plays out his contract with the 49ers, Kyle Shanahan did the same Tuesday.
“I expect at sometime he’ll be traded, but it’s not a guarantee,” Shanahan said, via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman (on Twitter). “It went on hold when [surgery] happened.”
The 30-year-old quarterback underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder this offseason, putting him in a similar unavailability boat as Mayfield, who had surgery on his nonthrowing shoulder. Mayfield is expected to be ready by training camp. Garoppolo is expected to be ready for Week 1, but the surgery — which did not occur until March — changed the 49ers’ game plan here. They had entered trade talks previously, but Garoppolo’s operation scuttled those. San Francisco’s asking price — once believed to be a Day 2 pick — has almost certainly plummeted, with quarterback-needy teams moving to other options.
Lynch has said he believes Trey Lance is ready to take over, though CEO Jed York has also offered that the 49ers’ two quarterbacks can coexist for a second season. It would still surprise if Garoppolo was back on the 49ers next season. His $26.95MM cap number is holding up team business, which includes extensions for Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel. Frequent scrutiny and injuries aside, Garoppolo has quarterbacked the 49ers to two NFC championship games. He could represent the best option to keep San Francisco a contender, depending on Lance’s Year 2 readiness.
That said, Lance coming from a Division I-FCS program that did not have a season in 2020 — due to the pandemic — and having one year of college starter experience opens the door for a longer NFL onramp. The North Dakota State prospect did not seriously threaten Garoppolo’s QB1 status as a rookie and could find himself in a position battle again come camp, if Garoppolo is indeed still a 49er.
Garoppolo’s camp would likely not be thrilled by the veteran being a very expensive Lance insurance policy, especially considering other teams could still upgrade via the ninth-year veteran. But the 49ers, like the Browns, appear to be threatening to take push complex QB situation into training camp — potentially in hopes of an injury or underperformance entices a team to make a viable trade offer.
The Panthers and Seahawks have been more closely connected to Mayfield, with Carolina entering trade talks for the disgruntled Cleveland QB during the draft. But a Garoppolo-to-Carolina scenario should not be ruled out. It is more difficult to see the 49ers trading Garoppolo to a division rival, though precedents exist — most notably in 2010’s Donovan McNabb Philadelphia-to-Washington swap. The Texans emerged on the radar here just before the draft, which featured no Houston QB picks. Nick Caserio was in New England throughout Garoppolo’s time there, but acquiring the contract-year QB now would impede Davis Mills‘ development.
Way to go Kyle don’t show your hand.
I’m not sure the 49ers understood that there was this window of opportunity when teams were shuffling QB’s! They missed that news! You have to sell your pumpkin stocks before Halloween!
To sell, your product can’t be recovering from surgery.
well for an expiring contract making 20 mil , this is very similar to Baker money-wise
…. why give up more than a 4th round pick for a guy you can sign next off-season?
and if you’re the 9ers , it doesn’t make much sense to trade him for anything less than a 2nd round pick
it’s a true stalemate, but 9ers are likely better off keeping around their QB who’s gotten the job done in the playoffs many times.
Nice of him to tell us something everyone but him figured out a long time ago.
He’s still the smartest guy in the (empty) room.
You can’t replace your quarterback and expect teams to help you move on, strike while the iron is hot, the quarterback carousel has been over for months, release Jimmy and Baker and let them go play somewhere that makes the nfl better because more teams have competent starters, browns and niners made the same mistake and now are playing chicken with themselves basically because no one is gonna blink on their asking prices
Parx- Why would either team release their QB when they both have guaranteed contracts for the upcoming season? Either a team ponies up or they wait until next year on these QB’s.
I have no idea about Mayfield but Jimmy G’s contract isn’t guaranteed. All his guaranteed money was front loaded so they only have a dead cap hit of 1.4 million. At this point, even a 3rd or 4th round pick for him will be enough to trade him so they can get a few extensions done.
extensions would have nothing to do with this upcoming seasons cap
Paulk the article says $26.95 cap hit. If it is only $1.4 mill I don’t know if any team would not cut him. A late round pick is not worth $25 mill if you are right which I am leaning to the article being correct. It is pride or foolishness to keep him.
extensions wouldn’t have any hindrance on the 2022 cap
compassrose……..The 49ers frontloaded Jimmy G’s contract so they biggest dead cap hits would be early on when they knew he was playing. It makes the last year so much easier to get out of. If Jimmy G is on the team, its a 26.95 million hit on the cap. If he is traded or released, its 1.4 million.
link to spotrac.com
In this case with the extra cap room, you would want to add some extra money up front to this season to help lessen the blow later. You don’t want to be in a situation like the Rams or Saints and have to keep pushing more money down the line when you have huge cap hits at the end of a deal.
The Browns will release Baker because he will be a “problem” if they don’t. Players get cut all the time with money still owed on the contract.
Apparently the cap hit is the same for Mayfield if he is on the team or not so if nobody is trading for him, might as well let him be the backup. Looks like he will be starting at least half the season as a suspension for Watson is looming. If he plays well, maybe move him at the trade deadline.
DYSFUNCTIONAL. Nothing say dysfunctional like not trading Jimmy G, not starting Trey Lance (after using THREE first round pick to get him), not extending Deebo Samuel (currently sitting out), and not extending Nick Bosa.
1. They traded 2 first rounders. They swapped that years 1st rounders so you can’t count them.
2. Nobody was biting on a QB who had recent shoulder surgery.
3. Until Jimmy G is traded, they don’t have the cap room for extensions. It will get done. Warner and Kittle didn’t get their extensions until mid to late summers. No reason for panic.
no one appears to really want a QB at this point, just that simple. All the chairs have occupants and evidently the SEA and CAR chairs nevet existed.
I think Carolina is on the wait and see plan. If things don’t seem to get better soon, a move can still be made. Part of me says they have been targeting Jimmy G the whole time and are just waiting for him to get cleared from the Dr.
I could see Carolina being a player for Jimmy G
…. next year when he’s a free agent