San Francisco 49ers Jimmy Garoppolo: Where will the Starter Go?

When you look at Garoppolo, he is no slouch, the man is coming off a season in which he took the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. He is expected to start throwing in mid-August, so I would assume a team with a stopgap opportunity at quarterback or even an upgrade over their current starter, would be calling the Niners for a proper trade. So, here are three teams that I think should pursue Jimmy Garoppolo.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns are in an interesting situation here. A week ago, Cleveland finally traded Baker Mayfield for a fifth-round pick in 2024 to the Carolina Panthers. This leaves Deshaun Watson and Jacoby Brissett as the two major quarterbacks on the depth chart. Watson is guaranteed to be suspended for a long period of time during the season, so the Browns may be looking for a short-term upgrade to hold them over until Watson returns.

Not to disrespect Brissett, who is a solid backup quarterback in his own right, Cleveland would want to pursue Garoppolo as an option. The team is already established with a solid running game, a few quality receivers and a top 10 defence, so having a quarterback who is known for taking a team deep in the playoffs on your team, would be a good investment. Maybe a second-day draft pick or a combination of second and third-day picks, if they have any left, would possibly make this trade happen.

Houston Texans

Last season, the Texans dealt with the Deshaun Watson controversy with a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach. Four wins later, David Culley was fired and Lovie Smith was brought in as the new coach. Davis Mills, the Texans third-round pick last season, exceeded expectations last year, despite the circumstances, but there may be an opportunity for a new quarterback to help with the rebuilding process for Houston.

With all of the draft picks that the Texans have acquired due to the Watson trade, maybe inquiring about Garoppolo"s services. If the Texans want to improve on their four-win season, maybe trading for Jimmy would be proper for Houston. Trading for Garoppolo would mean that Houston is looking to make a major splash in Lovie Smith’s first year.

New Orleans Saints

Okay, hear me out. The Saints have already committed to Jameis Winston for another season, after starting last season 6-2 before his injury. Also, New Orleans signed Andy Dalton to be Winston’s backup. Maybe bringing in a top 20 quarterback would help their case in the NFC South.

Just in case Jameis suffers an injury like he did last season, maybe it will be necessary to go after a veteran like Jimmy G. A team like New Orleans, who has always been a few pieces away from the Super Bowl, would benefit from acquiring Garoppolo. Jimmy G, Alvin Kamara, a returning Michael Thomas, and rookie Chris Olave, sounds like a great combination.

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