The San Francisco 49ers entered the offseason hoping to strike a Jimmy Garoppolo trade quickly, taking advantage of a market full of quarterback-needy teams. With the 2022 NFL Draft approaching, things aren’t going as planned.
San Francisco walked away from its NFC Championship Game loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a plan. The club would trade Garoppolo well ahead of the NFL Draft, targeting Day 2 picks for a veteran signal-caller with playoff experience and a winning record.
Unfortunately, the 30-year-old quarterback needed to undergo shoulder surgery. With his availability for the start of training camp clouded, NFL teams in the hunt for an upgrade at quarterback went elsewhere.
Related: San Francisco 49ers set high asking price for Jimmy Garoppolo
The Cleveland Browns (Deshaun Watson), New Orleans Saints (Jameis Winston), Indianapolis Colts (Matt Ryan) and Pittsburgh Steelers (Mitchell Trubisky) all found starting quarterbacks. Now, the 49ers are encountering a new problem for a potential trade.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the trade market for Garoppolo has slowed down Worse yet for San Francisco, there are worries around the league about Garoppolo’s surgically-repaired shoulder.
“Teams I’ve talked to have legitimate concern about the shoulder surgery and what that might mean for his offseason and the 2022 campaign.
Jeremy Fowler on NFL teams concerned with Jimmy Garoppolo’s shoulder injury, via ESPN
When will Jimmy Garoppolo be traded?
Clarity won’t come until long after the NFL Draft, which means San Francisco couldn’t pick up additional 2022 picks. There’s also a strong possibility that some of the remaining teams looking for a potential starter will address the position by taking a rookie passer early.
There could be one beneficiary from this development. The Carolina Panthers want to upgrade at quarterback, but they don’t have a Day 2 pick. If Garoppolo is still on the 49ers’ roster in June, a deal could be lined up that works out for both sides.
While only having one legitimate suitor will diminish the potential return for San Francisco, the franchise likely wants to trade Garoppolo so Trey Lance doesn’t have that hanging over him in 2022.
Related: Predicting NFL playoff bracket and Super Bowl winner