Jimmy Garoppolo has finally been cleared to seek a trade from the 49ers, a natural step in his progression away from the organization as the team seeks to support second-year quarterback Trey Lance.
The team's formal decision to let Garoppolo walk followed an Ian Rapoport report on Tuesday that he is expected to be medically cleared after offseason surgery to his shoulder. He is expected to be cleared in mid-August.
That's one potential barrier removed from the Garoppolo trade sweepstakes, as many teams have been hesitant to trade for a quarterback whose health will have a huge question mark 2022. That issue is further compounded by his $24.2 million base salary in his final contract year.
It seems the 49ers are intent on getting something for their former starter. (The alternatives are releasing him in a salary dump or letting him walk in free agency after the season, which would net the team a third-round compensatory pick). To that end, two teams —the Browns and Seahawks — have emerged as the most obvious trade partners, barring Garoppolo's release or a significant restructure to his contract.
Both teams undoubtedly would have better quarterback depth (and potentially a Day 1 starter) if they traded for Garoppolo. Whether they would part with valuable draft capital for a pricey stopgap quarterback remains to be seen.
The Sporting News breaks down the pros and cons each team would have in a potential trade for Garoppolo:
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback room
| Quarterback | Projected place on depth chart |
|---|---|
| Deshaun Watson | Suspension pending |
| Jacoby Brissett | 1 |
| Joshua Dobbs | 2 |
Pros
The Browns have the most cap space of any team in the NFL, with Over The Cap listing them at roughly $48.5 million. So Cleveland easily could eat the final year of Garoppolo's contract in a bid to strengthen their quarterback room in the case of a Deshaun Watson suspension.
Cleveland appears ready to go with Jacoby Brissett as the starter with Watson out. But Garoppolo, at least on paper, would represent an upgrade over the journeyman backup and occasional starter. The 49ers quarterback has a 33-14 record as a starter, compared to Brissett's mark of 14-23, and is only three years removed from leading San Francisco to a 13-3 record.
MORE: Jimmy Garoppolo trade rumors: 49ers struggling to move QB, Seahawks could be candidate
Cons
Why would the Browns want to pay $24.2 million to a one-year quarterback? They already traded former starter and No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, who was due significantly less ($18.9 million) in 2022.
The question also remains: What could the Browns offer in the way of draft capital after giving up so much for Watson? They already traded first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, as well as fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024 and a 2023 third-round pick.
Moreover, a report from Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Abbot suggests the Browns never thought of Garoppolo as a clear upgrade over Brissett. Going with Brissett in the short term appears to be part of a longterm plan to let Watson lead one of the better rosters in the NFL. A losing season — or even a mediocre one — would allow the team to retain its remaining draft capital moving forward.
Garoppolo would also have to be OK with being a "rental" quarterback for 2022. If he were to treat the 2022 season as an audition, of sorts, then the $24.2 million price tag he commands would take the edge off that status. If he wants to be a longterm starter, however, then the Browns' lack of commitment likely isn't tenable.
Seattle Seahawks
Quarterback room
| Quarterback | Projected place on depth chart |
|---|---|
| Drew Lock | 1 |
| Geno Smith | 2 |
| Jacob Eason | 3 |
Pros
The Browns may consider Brissett as equal to or better than Garoppolo, but the Seahawks should have no misgivings. Garoppolo may be a downgrade from Russell Wilson, but has a more proven track record over Drew Lock and Geno Smith, the quarterbacks who will battle for the starting position in 2022.
Seattle could also offload third-string quarterback Jacob Eason to San Francisco, if the team wanted him — a potential trade package that would reduce the number of picks Seattle would surrender. The Seahawks might also like the notion of strengthening its roster at the expense of a divisional rival.
There also is the potential for a revenge factor (similar to Mayfield potentially taking on Cleveland as the Browns travel to Carolina in Week 1 of the season). If anything, Garoppolo could at least provide some insight into how the 49ers operate: a small edge, potentially, for the Seahawks.
Cons
Seattle won't want to trade significant draft capital to a divisional rival, but could there be another way to secure Garoppolo?
Seattle also ranks 30th in the NFL with just under $5 million in cap space in 2022, per Over The Cap. So the Seahawks would need San Francisco to eat some of his cost and potentially perform some salary-cap gymnastics just to get Garoppolo on the books. His contract is worth roughly five times more than what the Seahawks are paying Eason, Smith and Lock combined.
