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When training camps open on the week of July 25, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the constant subject of rumors surrounding trades or his release, will likely still be on the San Francisco 49ers and not on the Houston Texans, according to one longtime NFL insider.
John McClain, who spent 36 years at The Houston Chronicle covering the city’s NFL franchises, appeared on KNBR’s “Murph and Mac Show” on July 15 to shoot down the Garoppolo-to-Houston chatter.
“First of all, he’s not coming to Houston. They have no interest,” said McClain, who retired from sportswriting in March. “They are sold on Davis Mills from Stanford, at least being a starter going into this season. If he can do it, that’s great for them. If he can’t, they have two No. 1 picks, including Cleveland’s. Eleven picks overall right now to help them acquire a quarterback in a great quarterback draft.”
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McClain: Texans ‘Sold on Davis Mills’
Garoppolo’s name had been attached to the Texans because of his past ties to Texans general manager Nick Caserio, who worked from 2001 to 2021 for the New England Patriots, where Garoppolo was backup to Tom Brady from 2014 to 2016.
Former Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest called Houston a prime fit for Garoppolo during McGinest’s July 11 appearance on NFL Network’s “NFL Total Access.”
“Another spot is Houston,” McGinest said. “Nick Caserio is the guy who drafted him along with others in New England. He’s very familiar with him.”
But McClain emphasized the Houston leadership’s belief in Mills, whom the Texans drafted in the third round in 2021.
“[Texans] coach Lovie Smith, offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and the general manager, Nick Caserio, they’re sold on Davis Mills’ potential,” McClain said. “The last five games last year: [nine] touchdowns, two interceptions, a [102.4 passer] rating. So he’s the guy. Jimmy G is not coming here.”
Insider Shoots Down Another Potential Garoppolo Spot
Garoppolo also has been linked to the Seattle Seahawks, who traded away their franchise quarterback, Russell Wilson, to the Denver Broncos in March.
Multiple analysts have mentioned Garoppolo and the 49ers’ NFC West rival as a possible pairing given the current state of the QB room in Seattle, which includes Drew Lock and Geno Smith, neither of whom has proven success in the NFL. On July 11, ESPN senior NFL insider Jeremy Fowler called the Seahawks a team “worth watching” for Garoppolo’s services.
McClain, however, speaking on “Murph & Mac,” said he didn’t believe Garoppolo would end up playing for Pete Carroll in the Pacific Northwest.
He also offered a suggestion on how the 49ers should handle Garoppolo, who is 30 years old and who signed a five-year, $137.5 million deal back in 2017.
“Hang onto him until a quarterback [on another team] goes down, and then you trade him for a conditional pick based on what he does and what the [acquiring] team does,” McClain said. “You’re going to get a lot more for him than you’re going to get now because people don’t even know if he can throw the ball anymore right now.”
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