Getty Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers hugs Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns after the 49ers beat the Browns at Levi's Stadium on October 07, 2019 in Santa Clara, California.
The back and forth in the Jimmy Garoppolo trade saga has continued, with the San Francisco 49ers quarterback the subject of one of the NFL’s biggest offseason stories.
While ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s most recent comments encourage 49ers fans to not rule out Garoppolo coming back, the general consensus is that the 30-year-old QB will still be traded.
It would make sense for the Niners to want to deal him out of conference to an AFC team, which coincides with The Athletic’s Zac Jackson’s recent article, in which he “plays the odds” about who could be the Cleveland Browns’ next quarterback.
It’s important to note that Baker Mayfield is still the “betting favorite,” with Jackson setting the Browns’ current starter at -130. But after Mayfield, Jackson considers Garoppolo to be the favorite alternative.
“In my opinion, he’s clearly the most realistic option if the Browns make a trade — and is a better option than the next player listed,” the article reads. “If the Browns moved to acquire Garoppolo, it would be because they believe his leadership and experience would help stabilize the offense and the locker room. As you know, it’s been a bit of a roller coaster for the last three — and 23 — years.”
It’s a fair compliment to Garoppolo, and the “next player listed” referenced is Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins. Further, 49ers fans will be happy to hear that Jackson anticipates Jimmy G is worth a first-round pick and another pick or player.
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Garoppolo Not a Perfect Fit for Browns
While the stance above is all the positive things about Garoppolo, the article also paints the quarterback’s “cons,” the drawbacks of bailing on Mayfield for the 30-year-old.
The primary concern is Garoppolo being a financial risk with a relatively limited ceiling and an injury history.
“Giving up significant resources and committing big dollars to a player who’s not a top-tier talent is a risk,” Jackson wrote. “Despite Garoppolo’s big-game experience. There’s also at least some question about his durability, as he’s only played one full season as a starter due to significant knee and ankle injuries.”
Garoppolo helped the 49ers to a Super Bowl and two NFC Championship appearances in his five seasons in San Francisco. He also sat out injured for the large majority of the 2018 and 2020 seasons, and dealt with infamous, nagging injuries in the 2021 season.
Garoppolo ‘Not a Lock’ for Trade
As mentioned above, ESPN insider Adam Schefter turned heads recently with his comments on Garoppolo’s trade status. While the national narrative has focused on where Jimmy G is going, Schefter believes some are jumping the gun.
In an interview with Ari Meirov, Schefter made the case for Garoppolo being the 49ers starter in 2022, which revolves around rookie quarterback Trey Lance still needing another year of development.
“I’m just telling you that Trey Lance was probably further behind than people realized,” Schefter said. “Trey Lance is greener than people realized. Trey Lance is going to need more work than people realized. And they have a roster that can win now… I’m just giving you the other side, that I don’t think it’s a lock [Garoppolo] is going to be traded. He very well might, but it’s not a lock.”
Schefter’s as plugged in as anyone, so his comments on Lance are worth noting. However, like the rest of the media members and former players commenting, it’s all external perspective. Only the 49ers know if Lance is ready or not.