5:15pm: While Lock was initially expected to get the call, Smith will in fact start tonight’s contest (video link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). That means Smith will have worked with the first-team offense in each game this summer, signalling that a Garoppolo acquisition could be the only thing preventing him from getting the nod in Week 1.
1:17pm: The Seahawks have gone through their Geno Smith–Drew Lock competition for months, and they are still not ready to name a starter. Smith is viewed as the frontrunner, though Lock will start Seattle’s third preseason game after missing the second exhibition contest due to COVID-19. But the team looks to still have Jimmy Garoppolo on its radar.
A report in July indicated the Seahawks had held internal discussions on Garoppolo and had, as should be expected given their situation, studied the veteran passer’s film. An August report pointed to the 49ers waiting on a Garoppolo release to prevent an early Seahawks arrival. That line of thinking still appears to be San Francisco’s play here. The Seahawks are interested in signing Garoppolo, former GM Michael Lombardi said on his GM Shuffle podcast this week. If no trade is in the cards, Lombardi adds the 49ers are planning to cut Garoppolo as late as possible to prevent him from assimilating quickly enough to play against them in September.
[RELATED: Which QB Will Start Most Games For 2022 Seahawks?]
The NFC West rivals’ San Francisco meeting occurs in Week 2. The 49ers holding out hope for a Garoppolo trade elsewhere or waiting until the 11th hour to cut their four-plus-year starter would do well to keep the Seahawks from trotting him out there against his former team — at least in the first meeting. The right shoulder procedure Garoppolo underwent in March pushed this situation to this point, but the two-time NFC championship game starter has been working out away from the team for weeks now.
John Lynch said during a KNBR appearance this week (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, on Twitter) the 49ers are moving closer to releasing Garoppolo. With minimal trade interest, something Lombardi indicated is still the case, the 49ers will have until the eve of their Week 1 game against the Bears to cut Garoppolo to avoid his $24.2MM base salary from becoming guaranteed. Barring a last-minute Lance injury, Garoppolo’s salary will not be on the 49ers’ 2022 payroll come Week 1. The last remaining question here is where he will go.
With the Panthers trading for Baker Mayfield in July, the Seahawks became the logical Garoppolo fit. The team showed no interest in taking on Mayfield’s fifth-year option salary and has not been linked to an intra-divisional trade for Garoppolo. The sides linking up via free agency, however, has been mentioned this offseason.
The Browns could still lurk. Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the Browns’ Garoppolo interest. Deshaun Watson will miss the season’s first 11 games, leaving Jacoby Brissett as Cleveland’s fill-in. Garoppolo has proven to be a more capable passer than Brissett, and with Kevin Stefanski running a version of the Mike/Kyle Shanahan/Gary Kubiak offense, a Garoppolo learning curve would not be steep. Then again, the Seahawks have a Shanahan/Sean McVay-style offense in place thanks to second-year OC Shane Waldron. These similarities would create an interesting September free agency for Garoppolo — if, in fact, no team pulls off a late trade.
A Seattle signing would not exactly be stunning, considering the team’s current competition has pit 2021 backups against one another. Smith has not been a regular starter since 2014, while the Broncos benched Lock last year. Reported Seahawks interest in Lock as a 2019 prospect aside, his not seizing the job from Smith should point to Garoppolo interest.
Garoppolo going to Seattle would both seemingly put the team — which finished eighth in DVOA last season — in better position to contend in 2022 and re-establish the ninth-year passer’s value. These outcomes would also work against the Seahawks’ 2023 draft position, but the team does have two first-round picks as ammo ahead of what is expected to be a far superior QB draft compared to 2022.
I can see the Seahawks doing this. Only because they would rather win 7 games than tank for a good QB. They don’t have the tank mindset.
Last time the Seahawks tanked they got Rick Mirer, time before that it was Dan McGwire. Tanking doesn’t normally work out.
Tanking in football doesn’t work very often. Man those are bad memories of those QBs.
You sound confused
Friend Jimmy G is a winner and if the Seahawks manage to add him, they won’t be tanking.
Friend… If Seattle can keep their name in the Jimmy G talk without signing him, that is textbook tanking through competition.
All parties are waiting on a QB injury or a panic staff that has a solid team and a question under center.
Tank mindset lol… it’s called “Trust the Process” get wit the program!
He still makes so much sense in Pittsburgh for me..
He can block???
Pittsburgh is focused on getting Kenny Pickett ready to be their QB of the future.
Why would they want to bring Garoppolo in?
Pittsburgh may need 12 quarterbacks this year. I heard their offensive line is worse than last year. Ouch!!
Such a terrible look for the niners
Agreed.
And what does SanFran do if Trey Lance isn’t ready and flops this year?
The whole situation just doesn’t make sense.
Tom Savage will always be there if they need a fall back option.
Totally agree.
If the 49ers are worried about a early game against hawks with Jimmy G playing, they must not think very highly of themselves. Hawks have 2 new rookies on OL..defensive changes.
49ers basically have two rookies in their OL as well, along with a journeyman C, and who knows at RT. If McGlinchey can’t go, then they’ll probably end up playing someone who should actually be a backup Guard at RT…
Alot of questions to be answered for the 49ers OL…
Yes. Something is off here. In hindsight, was 2021 the wrong year to draft a future franchise QB?
If I’m Jimmy and his agent, even if offered less money than elsewhere, take the Seattle gig with stability in ownership, front office and head coaching being the catalyst to do so.
Cleveland should work a deal to change the contract of Jimmy G like they did Baker. Or work a deal that the more money SF eats the better the picks. I don’t think he makes enough difference for Seattle to get him him. The difference between winning 3-4 more games could be costly in draft position. They won’t make the playoffs either. As Brownbacker9 kept saying is they have the money and are looking to get in the playoffs. They will need improve their QB situation. If he is cut he is probably coming here not sure if he goes to Cleve if he makes FA. By the way anyone seen BB since h the perv got the 11 game suspension? I figured he would be on apologizing to all because you know he is always right except for most of the time when he was wrong.
Only way Hawks get him is if he us released since don’t have cap room to get him via trade. Cleveland did say other day not interested, but we know that can change. I do think since they now know the 11 games and they havent done anything I don’t think they want to give up picks etc. and do trade. They might be wanting for FA. Jimmy might not be too crazy about going to Ceveland as basically a lame duck…knowing after 11 games things change. He might get a 2-3 year deal with Hawks…give them somebody to cover while new draft pick comes in next year.
Garapollo would be foolish to go to Seattle. The game has passed Carroll by. Seattle can’t stop anyone and they got rid of Wagner. They can’t run so they traded a good quarterback. If Garapollo does pick Seattle because it’s pretty much the only option, he’ll sign for this year only
I heard BB got a terrible infection from his Watson tramp stamp Tattoo and has been really sick.
With all their roster holes the Seahawks are going to get a good first round choice with or without Garoppolo – so better to save the $26 million and hamstring San Francisco with that big cap hit.
SF will cut him.
Yea I think they are gonna cut him. From the sound of Lynch the other day he made it sound like they have no offers so a release is nearing.
I’ve been told reliably they’re only holding onto to Garoppolo because they don’t want him to go to Seattle. They know Seattle wants him and they’re only holding onto him because they want to keep him out of Seattle and there is hope, maybe, down the road someone needs a quarterback. But Garoppolo controls this right? He’s not going anywhere with $25 million tagging along with him. Unless Don Yee says “I’m willing to redo my contract.” The 49ers have no leverage here, if there is an opening quarterback job and somebody wants to sign him, lets say Cleveland called and said “We traded you, you our starter for this year.” I am sure Yee would agree but other than they’re just holding onto him just to make it difficult for Seattle because remember in Week 2 they play Seattle.
I don’t even understand why they’d want him. Honestly. As a 49ers fan, I also don’t understand why they wouldn’t want him to go there. It’s not like that roster is good enough to be a threat. They did have a decent draft…FINALLY, but they they still have a weak OL and their defense is not good. Seattle seems to be in denial that they are in need of a rebuild, if they were smart they’d trade Lockett and DK and get some really good picks, maybe even a couple young good players but they won’t because Carroll is too stubborn. But trading for Jimmy isn’t going to do anything at all. He isn’t good under pressure, he doesn’t have the best pocket awareness and he folds he makes terrible decisions with the ball when guys are in his face. I do like their WRs, they are ballers so I don’t think it would be all bad but it’s not like adding him is gonna get you in the playoffs so why not ride it out with Geno and Lock and stink it up to get one of the top QBs in a draft that has some really good ones. Doesn’t make sense to me. And 49ers should hang on to Jimmy because with their weak OL Lance might end up hurt before mid season so gonna need a good back up. I know that wont happen and it would cause too much drama but damn that OL is shaky and worries me for Lance’s health.
There’s enough Drew Lock tape to be worried about Drew Lock. If you get Jimmy on a rental and he plays up to a capable starter to what he know he can be and he leaves in free agency. That’s a compensatory pick back, that’s a great rental. That’s a beachfront property rental!
So you’d rather have a compensatory pick like a 4th round than have a top 2 pick? That makes no sense. All signing Garapollo does is ensure that you will be drafting out of the top 5
Not trying is impossible. Tanking is cheating. Although trying your hardest with the available players isn’t. Jimmy can be a major threat when healthy. 49ers will regret his release.
@Dope Brownies Lol you must not have been aware to what happened to Stephen Ross and his team when they tanked to get a top 5 pick. You’re going to get fined and lose your 1st round pick bud!
Well, Ross wasn’t fined for that. He was fined and lost a draft pick because of tampering with Brady. Nobody is ever fined for tanking. I mean Cleveland was 1-31 and weren’t fined for tanking