With training camps opening up, speculation lingers regarding one veteran quarterback who might find a new home for the 2022 season. That moved one step closer to fruition, as the San Francisco 49ers have granted quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo permission to seek a trade.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was one of the first to report the news on Wednesday:
49ers officially have given Jimmy Garoppolo’s agents Don Yee and Carter Chow permission to seek a trade, sources said. Garoppolo has been cleared to start practicing, per team source; 49ers still are expected to exercise caution with him this summer.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 20, 2022
Garoppolo is currently recovering from a shoulder injury, but is reportedly “progressing well.” Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported on Tuesday that Garoppolo recently met with his doctors for an evaluation, and is expected to be fully cleared around the middle of August.
Rapoport also reported that Garoppolo has been throwing for “several weeks:”
Jimmy G has been throwing for several weeks. The focus will be not on making one deep throw but on making many in a row to hold up to the rigors of a game or in a practice. That's what full clearance would mean. The belief is the cuff will end up stronger than before. https://t.co/n1tySCgSEm
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 19, 2022
The game of quarterback musical chairs seems to have wound down, with Baker Mayfield being traded to the Carolina Panthers. Teams like the Seattle Seahawks have been linked with Garoppolo in recent weeks. Of course, the Cleveland Browns could also be an option, depending on what happens with a potential Deshaun Watson suspension. Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus mentioned Cleveland as a potential destination on Wednesday:
The #Browns discussed Jimmy Garoppolo and did their homework on the #49ers QB earlier in the offseason, per source. Revisiting those conversations would depend on length of Deshaun Watson’s suspension, asking price, Garoppolo’s recovery, etc.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) July 20, 2022