It was a long fall on the quarterback carousel from the Russell Wilson stallion to the Carson Wentz hobby horse. With plenty of teams still needing quarterbacks and not nearly enough great ones to go around, Jimmy Garoppolo becomes a very attractive potential option.
Possibly attractive enough for a bidding war to emerge for Garoppolo.
Garoppolo enters the final year of his contract, at a compensation package of $24.8 million, along with $750,000 in per-game roster bonuses. It’s believed that the 49ers will trade him, but it’s not a certainty; last year, team owner Jed York acknowledged the possibility of keeping Garoppolo for two seasons while 2021 rookie Trey Lance develops.
The potential compensation for Garoppolo could be a factor. If several teams enter the bidding, that’s an advantage for the 49ers.
The Colts, Steelers, and Saints already have been linked to Garoppolo. The Raiders become an intriguing option, if Las Vegas were to trade Derek Carr. Ditto for the Vikings, if they move Kirk Cousins. The Texans could also be a landing spot for Garoppolo. And it would be prudent for the Buccaneers to consider replacing Tom Brady with the guy who was once believed to be his eventual replacement in New England.
Complicating any trade talks is the shoulder surgery Garoppolo recently underwent. Also, even though his no-trade clause expired last year, few teams will want to trade for a starting quarterback who doesn’t want to play there. Garoppolo has extra leverage in that regard because he’s due to be a free agent in 2023.
Regardless, the market likely will be robust for Garoppolo. After Deshaun Watson is traded, Garoppolo becomes one of the best available options.