Getty Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll could have a new QB to work with in 2023.
The Seattle Seahawks face a decision that happens to involve their NFC West rival in San Francisco. The clock is ticking on the 49ers to find a landing spot for Jimmy Garoppolo to avoid paying the quarterback’s $24.2 million salary. The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar put together a potential trade proposal that has the Seahawks sending the Niners a 2023 fifth-round pick along with quarterback Jacob Eason in exchange for Garoppolo.
“Well, the Seahawks wouldn’t want to offer much, for a few reasons. The 49ers are a division rival so doing much to make their roster better is just bad business,” Dugar detailed on July 21, 2022. “Also, Garoppolo has an injured shoulder. Even if Garoppolo feels good enough to play in a preseason game or two, can Seattle feel comfortable predicting how his arm will hold up taking hits in live action? And lastly: Garoppolo is expensive.”
“Seattle has just south of $17 million in cap space, according to the NFLPA, so it would need San Francisco to eat some of Garoppolo’s $24.2 million base salary on the way out the door. With that in mind, along with the compensation Cleveland just received in exchange for trading away Baker Mayfield, the Seahawks in this scenario would be offering one of its two fifth-round picks in 2023 — if San Francisco eats at least $14.5 million of Garoppolo’s remaining salary. They’ll also throw in third-string quarterback Jacob Eason if San Francisco wants him.”
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The Seahawks Have ‘Discussed’ Landing Jimmy G: Report
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Seahawks have explored the idea of adding Garoppolo, noting Seattle has done “film work” to see how the veteran would fit in the team’s offense. Seattle could wait to see if San Francisco will ultimately release Garoppolo ahead of Week 1 to avoid being on the hook for the majority of the quarterback’s $24.2 million salary.
“You have Seattle that’s still out there,” Fowler explained during a July 11 edition of “SportsCenter.” “They were sort of implicated in the Baker Mayfield situation, didn’t make that move.
“I’m told that internally they have discussed the possibility of Garoppolo playing for them. They’ve done their film work to see how he would fit. Tricky certainly to do a trade inside the NFC West but the 49ers and Seattle know they can maybe sort of wait this out because the 49ers have limited cap space right now, I think around $5 million.
“They want to re-sign Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel, to do that they need some of Garoppolo’s $24 million in base salary. Seattle probably knows that which means maybe they won’t try to make a trade. They’ll just wait for the 49ers to release him.”
The 49ers Are Likely to Make a Decision on Garoppolo by August 30
From @SportsCenter with @HannahStormESPN
*Deshaun Watson timeline
*49ers’ hurdles in a Jimmy Garoppolo trade
*Seattle has done its homework on the QB, at least worth watching here.
There are two aspects of Dugar’s trade proposal that would make the idea appealing for the Seahawks. First, San Francisco pays the majority of Garoppolo’s massive salary. Seattle also only has to give up a day-three pick for a one-year rental on Garoppolo.
This allows the Seahawks to kick the tires on Garoppolo for a year before potentially signing the quarterback to an extension. If the Garoppolo experiment does not go well, Seattle can still select a quarterback in the 2023 draft.
Both teams could wait until training camp ends to make a decision on a potential deal. Former NFL agent Joel Corry believes that Garoppolo’s future will get resolved by August 30, the date when all NFL teams have to finalize their 53-man roster for the start of the regular season.
“The situation could come to a head by Aug. 30 provided the 49ers are committed to Lance,” Corry wrote for CBS Sports on July 30. “That’s when NFL rosters must be cut to 53 players. A decision must be made on a player still on Active/PUP during which he is put on Reserve/PUP, waived or has his contract terminated (whichever is applicable), traded, or counts on the 53-man roster.
“Some NFL team executives are anticipating that Garoppolo will eventually be released. Cutting Garoppolo probably wouldn’t be an option if the timetable for him being cleared is wrong. The 49ers would be on the hook for the $7.5 million injury guarantee with Garoppolo being released rather than going on Reserve/PUP because he still couldn’t pass a physical.”