As the Jets continue to zero in on Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo‘s market is starting to come into focus. In addition to the Raiders and Texans, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the Panthers are likely to be interested in adding the 10th-year quarterback.
This would represent the second straight offseason in which Carolina was connected to Garoppolo. The Panthers, who were tied to Baker Mayfield for months before finally acquiring him via trade in July, were also linked to the one-time 49ers trade chip during that time in 2022. Nothing materialized, as Garoppolo’s March 2022 shoulder surgery scuttled his trade market, but the Panthers’ quarterback need remains. And no trade compensation is now tied to landing Garoppolo.
[RELATED: Some Among Jets View Garoppolo As Backup Plan]
The Panthers were believed to be leery of Garoppolo’s injury history last year. The fact they would consider a pursuit again, now that Garoppolo is coming off a broken foot, would be interesting. The team is not believed to have engaged in serious talks with Garoppolo last year, despite the 49ers giving him permission to renegotiate his contract with other teams. But Garoppolo acknowledged Carolina was in the mix during his lengthy stay on the trade block.
Carolina owes a 2024 fifth-round pick to the Browns for the Mayfield acquisition, after then-HC Matt Rhule came to prefer the then-Browns QB. Mayfield and Garoppolo are each free agents, but after the former No. 1 overall pick struggled in Carolina before being waived in the weeks following Rhule’s ouster, Garoppolo is set to hit free agency as a far more coveted commodity. Although Rhule is now in Nebraska, Scott Fitterer remains in the GM chair nearly a year after the previous run of Garoppolo-to-Charlotte rumors.
Frank Reich has said the team, in an ideal world, would acquire a rookie and build around him. Carolina was in the Derek Carr market and met with the now-Saints QB at the Combine. The Panthers have been mentioned as a team somewhat skittish about overspending at quarterback. Given the Raiders and Texans’ interest in Garoppolo, he also might prove too costly for the NFC South team. But it does appear Carolina will look into the six-year San Francisco starter once the legal tampering period begins Monday.
It is unclear how serious a Raiders pursuit of Garoppolo will become, and the Texans — despite familiar faces in DeMeco Ryans and OC Bobby Slowik entering the picture — bring a rebuilding profile that might not be as appealing to Garoppolo at this point in his career. The Panthers nearly rallied back from their 1-5 start to win the division. With Tom Brady out of the mix and the Falcons also facing uncertainty at quarterback, a door could remain open for the Panthers — even with Carr now committed to the Saints — should they acquire Garoppolo.
I would have thought after late-career Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan all flamed out for Frank Reich, he might want to build around a young QB. Hoping to turn a fading QB into a fresh QB even if it works only offers a season (or two) of bounty. Witness, Tom Brady in Tampa Bay or Matthew Stafford in LA.
The Daniel Jones contract has made every GM’s job much harder this off-season.