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The Seattle Seahawks continue to face a quarterback dilemma, but the franchise may get some help from their division rival as the San Francisco 49ers continue to look for a new home for Jimmy Garoppolo. The two rivals are unlikely to be able to make a trade happen, but the veteran quarterback appears to have a limited market with the majority of QB1 spots already occupied around the league.
Heavy.com’s NFL insider Randy Mueller, whose front office experience includes the Seahawks, Saints, Dolphins and Chargers, believes Seattle would be the top landing spot for Garoppolo if the 49ers release the quarterback. If the Niners cut Garoppolo prior to finalizing their 53-man roster, the team is able to avoid paying the majority of his $24.2 million salary.
“The one starting job that seems to be open is in Seattle, and I know early in camp Drew Lock has not gotten many of the [first-team] reps, it’s been Geno Smith,” Mueller explained on August 3. “That tells me that that job is wide open. So, I would think if I were Pete Carroll, or if I were John Schneider, I would be like you said, first, second [and] third in line if Jimmy G does get released.
“The other thing that makes sense for Seattle is you’re extracting a lot of intel from a division rival if you can get Jimmy G in the house, because he’s going to know a lot about San Francisco that you don’t currently know, on both sides of the ball. That’s worth something as well, so I would definitely think Seattle would have an interest.”
Shanahan on Jimmy G: ‘Just Trying to Get His Body Ready for Hopefully the Next Situation’
Garoppolo possesses a great deal of experience, including leading the Niners to a Super Bowl appearance during the 2019 season. The veteran also has two Super Bowl rings from his time with the Patriots serving as Tom Brady’s backup. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan noted that Garoppolo is preparing his body for the “next situation,” but time will tell if this will happen via trade or an outright release.
“We have a real good relationship with Jimmy,” Shanahan detailed during an August 5 press conference. “There’s no secret here of what the situation is. I think he fully understands the situation, we fully understand the situation. So, we make the best of it, Jimmy’s out there, he’s feeling better and better each day.
“…If Jimmy wanted to be in every single meeting and wanted to do everything, for sure we would let him. I would guess that isn’t what he would want totally, and when we asked him that was accurate. He didn’t totally want that, so he’s just trying to get his body ready for hopefully the next situation he goes into.”
Seahawks Would Have Had an Interest in Mayfield If He Was Released, Says Ex-GM
For whatever reason, the Seahawks have not shown an interest in making a trade for another quarterback, even at the reduced cost the Panthers paid for Baker Mayfield. Mueller believes the Seahawks would have pursued Mayfield if he became a free agent, and the team appears to be taking a similar stance with Garoppolo.
“I think they would have had an interest in Seattle in Baker Mayfield had he been released instead of traded as well,” Mueller added. “So, it’s interesting, Seattle’s rolling the dice, going with the guys they got. Maybe they’re smarter than all of us and have known all along that the 49ers are going to release Jimmy G, and that they would be a player, in the long haul, to get him to come to Seattle. So again, time’s going to tell. I don’t know how it’s going to work out, but we have definitely not seen the end of the Jimmy G saga.”
The advantage to signing Garoppolo outright is the Seahawks would not have to give up any future draft capital. The team would also be able to dictate the salary and contract terms, potentially allowing Seattle to sign Garoppolo to a longer deal if this is their preference.
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