Getty The Steelers could send Mitch Trubisky packing.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are still on the hunt for a quarterback.
As the Steelers prepare for the 2022 NFL draft, Pittsburgh has two quarterbacks on its roster. According to a proposed draft day trade scenario by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Steelers would acquire San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo — along with a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft — in exchange for their 20th overall pick and a third-round pick in the 2022 draft.
Such a move would give the Steelers the immediate franchise quarterback that they’re hoping to find in either Mitch Trubisky or Mason Rudolph. It would also eliminate the concern of finding an immediate starter in this year’s draft class, which isn’t considered a great one for quarterbacks.
49ers Would Eat Portion of Jimmy G’s Salary
With Garoppolo due $25 million for the 2022 season, the 49ers would eat $16 million of his salary in this scenario. This would enable the Steelers to acquire the veteran quarterback while giving San Francisco draft capital that they desperately need.
“To get this to work, the 49ers would convert $16 million of Garoppolo’s base salary into a roster bonus and pay it immediately, bringing his salary down to a far more palatable $8.2 million,” says Barnwell. “The Steelers would move down 41 picks for the privilege. This deal would value Garoppolo and the $16 million San Francisco is eating as something close to the 27th pick in a typical draft.”
However, Barnwell does warn that this trade scenario is unlikely because of Garoppolo’s recovery from shoulder surgery and the 49ers needing to restructure his deal in order to make a deal happen.
“There’s no way these teams could make this move on the fly, so this would have to be agreed before the draft,” says Barnwell. “The Steelers would need to get a look at Garoppolo’s recovery from surgery, and the 49ers wouldn’t restructure his contract unless they were sure a deal could be done. This is probably too messy to actually happen, but there’s a universe in which both sides could benefit.”
ALL the latest Steelers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Steelers newsletter here!
Jimmy G Would Represent Upgrade for Steelers
Garoppolo underwent shoulder surgery in early March and likely won’t be able to resume throwing until late June or early July, which would be right before training camp, as noted by general manager John Lynch, according to Kelana Martin of the 49ers’ official website.
The 30-year-old quarterback continued to lead the 49ers to success in 2021. After an injury-riddled campaign in 2020 limited him to just six games, he led San Francisco to an NFC Championship game appearance.
In 2019, Garoppolo led the 49ers to Super Bowl LV, where they eventually lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
While he may not be revered by fans and may not post elite-level production, Garoppolo is a proven winner. In each of his full seasons starting for the 49ers (2019 and 2021), Garoppolo has led San Francisco within a game or two of winning a title.
According to Pro Football Focus, Garoppolo posted a a 74.9 offensive grade during the 2021 season, ranking 17th among all starting quarterbacks. During the 2019 campaign, the veteran quarterback posted a 77.9 offensive grade, ranking 14th among all starters.
By comparison, Trubisky’s career-high in offensive grade as a starter is 66.4 (set in 2017), while Rudolph’s offensive grade in his lone season a starter was an abysmal 53.5, the second-worst mark of any quarterback who appeared in at least 10 games that season.
In other words, acquiring Garoppolo would represent an immediate upgrade over the Steelers’ shaky quarterback situation and they’d immediately become viable contenders in a stacked AFC North division.
If the 49ers are willing to eat a portion of Garoppolo’s salary, the Steelers might want to consider this trade.