[jwplayer 4gR8H1wW-ThvAeFxT]
It turns out the 49ers’ involvement in the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes was relatively minimal. A report from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer that details the negotiations indicates San Francisco never even made an offer for the 12-year veteran.
As many as nine teams touched base with the Lions about Stafford, but the Panthers, Washington and the Rams, where he was eventually dealt, made offers that included a first-round pick. The 49ers were never willing to go that high in part because of their comfort moving forward with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Via Breer:
The Niners talked to the Lions in Mobile, but at the time were a little lukewarm and never made an official offer. They’d planned to circle back with Detroit after the weekend, but when things escalated Saturday and the Lions called back, the price had gone beyond what they were willing to offer (in part because they’re fine going forward with Jimmy Garoppolo). My sense is the 12th pick was never going to be offered.
This tracks with what head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have said about Garoppolo’s status with the club. They’ll look at upgrades, but they’re happy with Garoppolo when he’s been healthy and they’re not going to vastly overpay for someone like Stafford.
The Rams eventually landed the Pro Bowler for two future first-round picks, a 2021 third-round choice and quarterback Jared Goff. If San Francisco was unwilling to unload even the No. 12 pick – their offer was never going to enter the stratosphere the Rams’ offer reached.
It remains unknown whether the 49ers will loosen up on that stance if they get involved in trade talks for Deshaun Watson, but their unwillingness to part with the No. 12 selection for Stafford indicates partly how much they value their pick. It also gives a look into how the club compares Garoppolo to a player like Stafford. The latter is good enough to check in on, but not good enough to get into a bidding war for.
While they didn’t make an offer this time, it’d make sense for the 49ers to be in on other potential trade talks that crop up during the offseason. If the price is right, and the upgrade is substantial enough, they could wind up pulling the trigger on a trade next time.