49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo Earns ‘Buy-Low’ Title Before Free Agency

Getty Jimmy Garoppolo under center for the San Francisco 49ers versus the New York Jets.

If the San Francisco 49ers don’t re-sign Jimmy Garoppolo on the first day of free agency and fully allow him to test the open market, there should be plenty of teams who express interest in the 31-year-old pro. But with Aaron Rodgers suddenly a viable trade target and Derek Carr a free agent following his release from the Las Vegas Raiders, could Garoppolo suddenly find himself underrated? Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus believes so, as they named him their buy-low quarterback heading into the 2023 NFL calendar year.

“At the time of writing, Garoppolo is the No. 5 quarterback in PFF’s free agency rankings, but by the time free agency opens, there’s a realistic chance that he could be the top quarterback left,” McGuinness wrote. “And should he be available for his current contract projection, he could be an excellent fit for fringe playoff teams from 2022, such as the Las Vegas Raiders or New York Jets, if they are unable to land Aaron Rodgers via trade.”

“Having recorded 15 or fewer big-time throws in every NFL season, Garoppolo might not elevate an offense. But he has earned a 70.0-plus PFF grade in each of the past two seasons, so he can raise a team’s floor.”

As McGuinness noted, and 49ers fans can confirm, Garoppolo really isn’t the type of quarterback who elevates an offense with his big-time throws. Still, for plenty of teams across the NFL, having a steady presence under center is better than an erratic or even bad quarterback, so the market should be ripe for the veteran passer, especially if ESPN’s free agent ranking proves true.

ESPN Believes Jimmy Garoppolo Is a Top-5 Free Agent QB

Working through the free agent class for ESPN, Matt Bowen amassed a list of the top 50 free agents in the NFL heading into the 2023 calendar year, in a year where Carr is a free agent and Lamar Jackson, Daniel Jones, and Geno Smith could join him, depending on how things shake out with their respective teams. Like Pro Football Focus, Bowen believes that Garoppolo ranks behind that quartet, but that he should still have suitors considering the need for starting quarterback players across the NFL.

“Garoppolo completed 67.2% of his passes with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in 11 games before a foot injury ended his season,” Bowen wrote. “He’s still a good passer who can be a mid-tier starter on the market. He is a timing-and-rhythm thrower who fits best in an offensive system tailored around the play-action route tree. The injury history factors into his ranking here, but make no mistake: He will have suitors on the market.”

With every passing free agent evaluation story that comes by, it would appear Joe Montana’s dream of the 49ers starting Garoppolo in 2023 becomes less and less likely. But where could Garoppolo sign? Fortunately, The Athletic has some informed insight into that very question.

The Athletic Names Landing Spots for the 49ers QB

Evaluating all of the 49ers’ top free agents, Matt Barrows of The Athletic noted that while Garoppolo has missed time over his run in San Francisco, he should still have two prominent suitors, both of whom he called coach at one point or another over the past few seasons.

“Garoppolo’s injury history is his biggest drawback. Starting in 2016 when he was filling in for suspended Tom Brady in New England, he’s missed 32 starts and he’s had just one season, 2019, in which he appeared in every game,” Barrows said. “He also happened to lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl that season. That’s Garoppolo’s biggest lure: When he plays, he wins. The 49ers were 42-19 with him under center, including the playoffs. The 31-year-old is accurate, he’s got a quick release, he’s well-liked in the locker room and he’s won high-pressure games in two of the loudest places — Seattle and New Orleans — in the NFL. He’d be an upgrade for a pair of former 49ers defensive coordinators, the Jets’ Robert Saleh and the Texans’ DeMeco Ryans.”

Could Garoppolo follow one of the 49ers’ former defensive coordinators out of town to one of their new teams, either the Jets or the Texans? Fans will find out in March.