Getty Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after throwing a touchdown during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on December 05, 2021 in Seattle, Washington.
Where San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo plays next season is up in the air, but the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be a popular idea among potential destinations.
With Ben Roethlisberger retiring after the Steelers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Wild Card round, head coach Mike Tomlin and Pittsburgh need a strong replacement, and Garoppolo is the best QB on the market.
One proposal that is catching eyeballs comes from Fansided’s Peter Panacy, who addressed how the Niners could get a first-round pick in this year’s NFL draft. San Francisco is currently sitting out the first round after trading this year’s first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in the package to draft quarterback Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL draft.
Panacy envelops a scenario where the 49ers, Steelers and New England Patriots come together for a rare three-team trade. Here’s who walks out with what in Panacy’s scenario:
- 49ers receive: Patriots 2022 Round 1 Pick (No. 21 overall)
- Steelers receive: Jimmy Garoppolo
- Patriots receive: 49ers 2022 Round 3 Pick (No. 93), Steelers 2022 Round 2 Pick (No. 52), Steelers 2023 Round 2 Pick
Pittsburgh gets their starting quarterback, the 49ers get back into the first round and the Patriots receive three “day two” picks. While New England may feel like a random addition for a three-way trade, there’s legitimate reason why they’d want to get in on this deal.
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Patriots Need Picks
Panacy points out in his proposal that New England only has five picks in the 2022 NFL draft, and head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots’ front office could want more picks rather than the highest possible pick.
Currently, the Patriots possess a pick in the first, second, third, fourth and sixth rounds. Dropping out of the first round may be a tough move, but they’d instead have four picks in the first three rounds, with two coming in the second and third rounds.
“Belichick might be eyeing quantity this offseason,” Panacy wrote. “And the Niners using their array of newly acquired picks from Pittsburgh, plus their own Round 3 selection, might be enough to convince the Pats to trade down.”
It would be a sensational move, and it still feels like one that the Patriots are getting the short end of the stick on. The way that could be improved is if the 49ers or Steelers parted with another selection, maybe somewhere in the mid-rounds.
Joe Montana Speaks on Potential Garoppolo Trade
San Francisco appears committed to trading Jimmy G elsewhere, but the franchise’s most decorated quarterback thinks they should hold off. Joe Montana spoke to The Ringer on February 10, talking all things NFL and 49ers.
When Garoppolo came up, Montana didn’t shy away from saying that he isn’t sold on Lance, and that the 49ers need to stick with the guy they’ve been successful with.
“I think they keep Jimmy until you find somebody else,” Montana said. “I don’t think Trey’s ready to play yet, as myself and after talking to some of the players. I think it’s one of those things that if you can keep Jimmy healthy, he plays well enough to get you [to the Super Bowl.]”