Broncos Urged to Avoid Increasingly Popular Trade Idea: ‘Not Worth the Price’

Getty One analyst argues the Broncos that Jimmy Garoppolo isn't much better than Teddy Bridgewater.

The Denver Broncos might have to avoid a potential trade for a particular starting quarterback.

According to Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon, the Broncos should not trade for the San Francisco 49ers‘ Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo is one of the major names at quarterback that is considered to be available on the trade market this offseason. However, Kenyon warns that Garoppolo is “not worth the price” for Denver.

“Despite leading the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC championship last season, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is probably on his way out,” says Kenyon. “San Francisco seems likely to commit to 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance, so Jimmy G is a popular name on the expected trade market.

But he’s not worth the price for Denver.”

In fact, Kenyon compares Garoppolo to incumbent starter, Teddy Bridgewater. The Bleacher Report analyst argues that Garoppolo is not much different from Bridgewater, which means the Broncos won’t be receiving much of an upgrade at the position.

“At this point, it’s clear Garoppolo is a functional starter who needs a strong defense to buoy the team,” says Kenyon. “That’s not a whole lot better than Bridgewater, who wouldn’t cost the Broncos multiple draft picks and a $26.95 million cap hit this offseason.”

Jimmy G’s Trade Value in Possible Deal

If the Broncos are to trade for Garoppolo, they would have to give up draft capital and pay Garoppolo’s $25.5 million contract for the 2022 season.

According to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, Garoppolo will likely be worth a couple of draft picks in a possible trade deal.

“I’m not suggesting that Garoppolo is the absolute answer for anybody,” says Kawakami. “He’s not the ultimate answer for the 49ers, and they know him best. But NFL teams have to deal with what’s actually available, and Garoppolo is what’s available. That doesn’t mean he’s worth a ton on the trade market, but it means he should be worth a couple of draft picks.”

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Why Garoppolo Might Be Worth Trade

Kawakami also mentions how a potential Garoppolo trade could merely involve a fourth-rounder this year and a conditional fourth-rounder for next year that could be boosted to a third or second-round pick based upon the quarterback’s performance.

Kenyon does have a point. If Garoppolo is merely the game manager that Bridgewater is, it would make zero sense for the Broncos to give up valuable assets for the same quarterback.

The problem with Kenyon’s argument is that Garoppolo is not the same quarterback as Bridgewater. Any time Garoppolo started, he has been a winning quarterback. His 31-14 record (.704 winning percentage) is no fluke. In his two lone seasons as the 49ers’ full-time starter, he has led them to a Super Bowl and an NFC Championship Game appearance.

His .704 winning percentage ranks third among all active quarterbacks with at least 30 starts, ranking behind only Patrick Mahomes (79.4%) and Lamar Jackson (75.5%). By comparison, Bridgewater holds a 33-30 record (52.3%) and has led just one team to a playoff berth across four seasons as a full-time starter.

Furthermore, the advanced analytics illustrate that Garoppolo is A superior QB to Bridgewater. While their offensive grades from Pro Football Focus were similar this past season (Garoppolo posted a 71.5 offensive grade in comparison to Bridgewater’s 73.5 offensive grade), Garoppolo’s ceiling is much higher.

Garoppolo posted an 86.6 offensive grade during the 2017 season — fourth in the NFL — and a 77.3 offensive grade during the 2019 season, ranking 13th in the league. Over that time frame, Bridgewater has never ranked higher than 19th in offensive grade.

If the Broncos strike out on adding Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, Garoppolo likely becomes their next best option. According to a recent report from Jeff Howe of The Athletic, there is “widespread belief” that Rodgers will return to the Green Bay Packers for the 2022 season. As far as Wilson is concerned, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said the team is not interested in a trade.

If Denver is asked to give up only a couple of draft picks, the Garoppolo acquisition becomes worth it.

The Broncos aren’t bringing back Bridgewate. If they go the free agency route of signing names such as Jameis Winston and Mitch Trubisky, we’ll basically see a repeat of the mediocrity that we’ve seen since Peyton Manning’s retirement following the 2015 season.

If Jimmy G is the best quarterback option available, Denver should consider a trade for the 49ers quarterback.