Getty Pete Carroll coaches during the playoffs.
The chances of the San Francisco 49ers being willing to trade Jimmy Garoppolo to their rival Seattle Seahawks are slim. Yet, as the offseason continues without a trade, the Niners could be forced to make a difficult decision on Garoppolo’s future.
San Francisco has been open about their desire to turn over the offense to second-year quarterback Trey Lance. The 49ers are finding a limited trade market for Garoppolo for two key reasons.
Garoppolo’s $24.2 million salary for 2022 is a lot to take on for a quarterback entering the final year of his deal. Garoppolo’s offseason shoulder surgery has also made teams hesitant to give up any assets for the expensive quarterback.
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All this has Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reporting that the “most likely result” is the Niners releasing Garoppolo after failing to find a trade partner. This would allow the Seahawks to sign Garoppolo on their own terms without giving up any draft capital.
“Throw in the fact that Garoppolo had the surgery without consulting with the 49ers, and it makes every team that otherwise would be interested in Garoppolo very leery,” Florio explained on March 26, 2022. “Unless Garoppolo is willing to do a new contract as part of a trade (and why would he be?), a trade isn’t happened. The most likely result, the source predicted, is that the 49ers will have to cut him.
“With none of Garoppolo’s salary becoming guaranteed until the eve of Week One, the 49ers can wait it out. But they won’t get cap relief without cutting him. And because he’s in the last year of his contract, cutting him would leave behind only $1.4 million in dead money — and it would instantly create more than $25 million in cap space.”
Do the Seahawks Have an Interest in Jimmy G?
The chances of the 49ers making a trade with the Seahawks is remote. We have seen teams within the same division make deals, but it is rarely for a starting quarterback. The Seahawks’ chances of adding Garoppolo depends on the 49ers’ decision to release the quarterback.
The upside of a team’s offense with Garoppolo as the QB1 may be limited, but the quarterback helped lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl during the 2019 season. San Francisco was one win away from making another appearance last season with Garoppolo under center.
Garoppolo would fit the game manager profile Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll outlined as the team discussed the recent Russell Wilson trade. At the very least, it would be a surprise if the Seahawks did not explore adding Garoppolo to compete with Drew Lock to be the team’s starting quarterback in 2022.
Garoppolo Has Struggled With Injuries & Turnovers Throughout His Career
It’s being publicly reported that the 49ers have an offer of 2 2nd rounders for Jimmy G.
“I would assume that they have that if they’re making it public.. when we’ll know is when the trade is done” ~Brandon Beane
There are plenty of reasons why teams are not lining up to trade for Garoppolo. The veteran quarterback has struggled with injuries throughout his career calling into question his dependability. So much so that the Niners opted to trade up to draft a quarterback last offseason. Garoppolo was able to play through multiple injuries last season to make 15 appearances, the second most of his career.
The 49ers quarterback has also struggled with turnovers, one of Carroll’s pet peeves. Garoppolo threw 12 interceptions last season and 13 interceptions in 2019. Otherwise, Garoppolo had solid numbers in 2021 throwing for 3,810 yards and 20 touchdowns while completing 68.3% of his passes.
Until Garoppolo and Baker Mayfield find new homes, the Seahawks will be closely linked to both quarterbacks. Each signal caller offers a low-risk option as they enter the final year of their contracts. Realistically, the only way Garoppolo lands in Seattle is if he is released by San Francisco, which would require the Seahawks to sign the quarterback to a new deal.