The 49ers and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo are at something of a crossroads following the team’s trade up to No. 3 in this year’s draft to presumably select a quarterback that’ll supplant Garoppolo. While general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan remain adamant Garoppolo is still part of their immediate plans, there’s speculation the club could be shopping him and clearing the way for their rookie to start in Year 1.
If San Francisco does move on from Garoppolo this year, it won’t be for cheap. They likely would’ve traded him already if they weren’t inflating the asking price. NFL Network’s Mike Giardi on Friday reported that the 49ers are looking for a first-round pick in any swap involving the quarterback this offseason.
This makes sense given what the 49ers say their plans are. They plan on starting Garoppolo in 2021 with the No. 3 pick sitting out the season, then moving on in 2022 to allow the No. 3 pick to step in as a starter. If that’s their plan, it’d take a significant offer to move them off of it since it involves their starting quarterback.
It’ll be interesting to see if any club gets desperate and bites on that. The acquiring team would owe Garoppolo $23.6 million this season, although given the salary cap issues most teams are facing this year he’d likely need to restructure his deal to fit under the cap.
If the 49ers can wind up getting the No. 20 pick from the Bears or the No. 15 selection from the Patriots, it’d help immensely in helping them recoup some of the capital they lost in their trade up to No. 3 in the draft. If they don’t make the deal, they seem pretty content with starting Garoppolo this season.