Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo could make a fine trade target and replacement for Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow, but the idea may end up being nothing more than that.
Burrow suffered a toe injury and will undergo surgery that will keep him sidelined for at least three months, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter on September 15.
However, a Garoppolo trade projects better for the Bengals than the Rams.
Jimmy Garoppolo a Potentially Appealing Replacement for Joe Burrow
GettyJimmy Garoppolo #11 of the Los Angeles Rams before facing the Houston Texans.
Among the Bengals’ potential options, Garoppolo may offer the best blend of experience and affordability in terms of his one-year, $3 million contract that he signed to stay with the Rams this past offseason.
CBS Sports’ John Breech outlined why Garoppolo could appeal to the Bengals, citing his experience playing in a Super Bowl, which aligns with Cincinnati’s goals.
Breech believes Garoppolo offers “two major upsides.”
“He has plenty of big-game experience and he would also come dirt cheap. He’s on a one-year deal with a base salary of just $1.25 million, so the Bengals could easily let him walk after the 2025 season. The Bengals obviously wouldn’t be looking to make a long-term commitment with anyone, so they’d want to be sure they could easily get out of the contract of any QB they acquire,” CBS Sports’ John Breech wrote on September 15.
“Garoppolo only started one game for the Rams last season, but he threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns in a win. In 2019, he led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance after a season where he threw for 3,978 yards and 27 touchdowns.”
Burrow’s timeline puts him on track to return in January for the playoffs, and the Rams and Bengals would still only meet in the Super Bowl, a fitting potential outcome of such a trade.
Matthew Stafford Uncertainty Could Make Jimmy Garoppolo Indispensable
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 and Jimmy Garoppolo #11 of the Los Angeles Rams before a game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Convincing the Rams to part with Garoppolo in a trade could prove difficult for the Bengals, their opponent in the 2021 Super Bowl, or any potential trade suitor.
“Due to Matthew Stafford’s health — he dealt with a bad back for most of training camp — the Rams may not be willing to part with Garoppolo,” Breech wrote. “But he’s certainly one of the best backups out there.”
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Stafford has completed 71% of his passes for 543 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT in two games.
The Rams are also off to their first 2-0 start since 2021. Protecting themselves against a setback with Stafford could be more appealing than a Garoppolo trade.
Rams Could Capitalize on Bengals’ Desperation
GettyJimmy Garoppolo #11 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before the game against the Tennessee Titans.
CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones noted the Rams’ situation and that “everybody knows” the Bengals want to get back to the Super Bowl, so a trade will cost them “a pretty penny.”
“The LA Rams would have to want a part with Jimmy Garoppolo. And you have Matthew Stafford, who looks good two games in, but he spent all of the summer in a hyperbaric chamber, and you never know when that back on his 37,38-year-old body is going to tighten up. So, it may be hard to pry Jimmy Garoppolo away from the LA Rams,” Jones said on “CBS Sports HQ” on September 15.
“Everybody knows that [the Bengals] believe in this offense. And so, if you are going to trade them a quarterback to help them float until Joe Burrow gets there, it is going to cost them a pretty penny. Whether that’s draft pick compensation or salary cap space, it’s one or the other, and everyone in the league knows it.”
Perhaps that leads to a trade offer from the Bengals for Garoppolo that the Rams cannot refuse.
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