The San Francisco 49ers traded three first-round picks and a third-round pick to Miami to move up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and select North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance. He didn't play much as a rookie behind Jimmy Garoppolo, but it's widely expected Jimmy G will be dealt this offseason to make room for Lance. SportsLine offers early odds on which team Garoppolo is with Week 1 of the 2022 campaign if not the Niners.
How fascinating would it have been if Garoppolo had won the Super Bowl? Could the Niners still have justified trading him? After all they gave up for Lance, probably. Maybe they could have let him sit and learn one more season. After all, Aaron Rodgers was a 2004 first-round pick and didn't take over as the Green Bay starter until 2008.
Of course, the Niners were beaten in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday thanks to a terrible Garoppolo interception late in the fourth quarter when he should have simply taken a sack. While Jimmy G has proven a good regular-season quarterback (Niners were 31-14 with him as the starter), in the fourth quarter of his six career postseason starts, he's completing just 48.6 percent of his passes with zero TDs, three picks, 178 total yards and a 28.0 rating. I think QBs get a rating of at least 40.0 if they just take one snap and fall down.
There's no question Lance will be the Niners' Week 1 guy next season barring an offseason injury, etc. In his contract, Garoppolo was able to veto any possible trade in the 2021 season but that no-trade clause was only applicable for the 2021 league year. Thus, beginning on March 16 at 4 p.m. ET, the 49ers can trade Garoppolo to any team without his prior written approval. A trade could be agreed to before then but not completed.
One issue with any trade is that Garoppolo sustained a torn ligament in his right thumb in the 49ers' Dec. 23 game against the Titans and said he dealt with pain in his right thumb on "every play" during the 49ers' three postseason games. He will have offseason thumb surgery but is only expected to need 4-6 weeks recovery.
Jimmy G would clearly fit best on a team that thinks it can contend next year and has a hole under center. The Pittsburgh Steelers do have Super Bowl caliber-talent and must replace Ben Roethlisberger. Is Jimmy G not a better option that Mason Rudolph? The Steelers may draft a QB with their first-round pick but aren't throwing a rookie to the wolves.
The Washington Football Team and Denver Broncos are both somewhat in the same boat. Playoff talent perhaps everywhere but QB. Both may aim higher in trades this offseason – i.e., Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers.
Matt Rhule's job in Carolina is likely hanging in the balance on his next quarterback and many still believe Deshaun Watson ends up there. If not, Jimmy G could be an option if the team doesn't want Cam Newton back.
Tampa Bay's offseason all hinges on what Tom Brady does regarding retirement – and he reiterated Monday that no decision has been made. If TB12 returns, Jimmy G is no option. If Brady retires, do the Bucs try to make one more run with their veteran roster and a one-year fill-in with Garoppolo?
Update: Brady official retired this morning via Instagram post.
If Rodgers is traded or retires, the Packers may not be ready to turn things over to inexperienced Jordan Love. Indianapolis reportedly wants to bring in competition for Carson Wentz so that's a possibility. Jimmy G probably would be an upgrade in Houston on Davis Mills, but the Texans are in full-on rebuild and make select a QB in the first round of the draft. The Taysom Hill experiment could be over in New Orleans with Sean Payton stepping away.
We have to include the Raiders simply as former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is now the head coach there and maybe he likes ex-Patriot Jimmy G better than Derek Carr.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Which roster will Jimmy Garoppolo be on Week 1 of the 2022 season (if not the Niners)?
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