The future of the San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo is much debated, but where are his potential landing spots when he leaves this off-season? Let’s take a look at Garoppolo’s contract position, his performance in 2021 and his possible landing spots as 2022 NFL Free Agent.
Jimmy Garoppolo landing pads
Garoppolo has another year of contract after the 2021 season. In 2022, he will be due a salary of $ 24.2 million, with a roster bonus of $ 800,000 and a training bonus of $ 600,000. However, none of this money is guaranteed. So if the 49ers chose to dump or trade Garoppolo, they would only be left with $ 1.4 million in dead money.
After a difficult period at the beginning of the season, Garoppolo has saved his reputation somewhat in recent weeks. Back in Week 8, Garoppolo completed 69% of his passes for 258 yards per game with 12 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
In 2021 the Pro Football Network will Offensive Rating Metric has ranked Garoppolo as the sixth most important QB in his offensive environment. With all of the criticism of Garoppolo, he’s effectively doing what the 49ers ask of him. The problem is the numbers don’t light up the scoreboard.
Still, there is no guarantee that the 49ers will decide to keep going. If they feel like Trey Lance isn’t ready to go, they could try another year with Jimmy G. But if San Francisco decides they’re done with Garoppolo, what teams could be in the running for him?
Would the New York Giants be willing to trade Daniel Jones for Garoppolo?
This is a fascinating potential for Garoppolo. In terms of cap, he is arguably not an upgrade from Jones. Plus, Garoppolo isn’t a huge improvement on Jones in terms of ball safety. In 37 starts, Jones has 29 interceptions and 36 fumbles. In contrast, Garoppolo has 34 interceptions and 26 fumbles out of 45 starts.
The problem is, the Giants can’t really look to rebuild. You’ve just invested heavily in the free agency in 2021, and just blowing it up doesn’t seem like a viable option. So, they may turn to another veteran in Garoppolo to try and rekindle the team. Unfortunately, it is not certain that he can lead this team to any more success than Jones.
Could the Carolina Panthers take the path of another seasoned QB?
The Panthers already had a long list of “tried and continued” QBs under Matt Rhule’s reign. They started with Teddy Bridgewater. Then they switched to Sam Darnold and Cam Newton. Now in week 16 they have fired offensive coordinator Joe Brady and still have no idea who their future QB is.
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The Panthers could move on to the draft, but it feels like Rhule is already under pressure in Carolina. If so, he really needs to reach out to another veteran for instant results. Garoppolo has proven that he can manage a squad well when the talent is around him. The Panthers certainly have talent on either side of the ball, which makes this a fascinating fit.
Washington could be the ideal landing site for Garoppolo
Another team that has a lot of talent but no one to pilot the ship is Washington. The Dwayne-Haskins experiment quickly failed. Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a brutal injury and Taylor Heinicke couldn’t convince. Now Washington has a choice: turn to the draft or find another veteran.
That really goes perfectly with Garoppolo. They have the likes of Terry McLaurin, Antonio Gibson and Logan Thomas under contract. The defense is also full of talent and this should be a roster to keep up. On top of that, they have $ 60 million in planned cap space to upgrade the roster to challenge the cowboys in the NFC East.
Would acquiring Jimmy G help the Steelers stay competitive?
With Ben Roethlisberger’s reign coming to an end in Pittsburgh, they need a solution at QB. The Steelers have the roster to be competitive and they don’t need a QB to do magic. You just need a player to come in and take a competent offensive.
That makes this an enticing landing spot for Garoppolo. The Steelers are expected to have $ 43.7 million in headroom to invest in other players to help them on a playoff run. So Garoppolo could be the ideal QB to keep the window open as a challenger while you look at the draft of your future QB franchise.
Could moving to the Houston Texans make sense for both sides?
The Texans’ QB situation is delicate given the uncertainty surrounding Deshaun Watson. Davis Mills is undergoing an audition to end the year, but the jury didn’t bother about him. The problem for Houston is that they have to scout themselves on short notice. Do you think you are one QB away from challenging the division in 2022? If so, this could be an interesting landing spot for Garoppolo.
The problem is, Jimmy G isn’t a player who increases offense. Ideally, he needs to be surrounded by quality players to get a team into the playoffs. The only real star players the Texans have are WR Brandin Cooks and OT Laremy Tunsil. They are going to need more for Garoppolo to make them a challenger.
