The Cleveland Browns have lost two consecutive games. Their quarterback, Baker Mayfield, is ailing. He had his arm in a sling after the Browns' 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals this past weekend and said this of his shoulder: "It feels like s--t."
Mayfield suffered a partially torn labrum in Week 2. He landed hard on that same shoulder on Sunday following a sack by Cardinals defender J.J. Watt.
With the November 2 trade deadline approaching, San Francisco 49ers fans should brace themselves for a lot of Jimmy Garoppolo chatter now that the No. 3 overall pick, Trey Lance, has a start under his belt. The team has expressed a preference to ride out the season with the more experienced Garoppolo at the helm. Does that change depending on how these next two games go?
The Athletic's Mike Sando wonders if the Browns might be interested, depending on Mayfield's situation (h/t to Brian Renick for the find). Would Garoppolo, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, look at the talent in Cleveland and feel that might be a good destination for him?
"If you are the Niners and you lose a few games and you are moving on anyway, wouldn't you try to save (money)?" an unnamed NFL executive told Sando for his column. "It would be curious if someone had their quarterback get injured."
The executive also wonders if the Carolina Panthers, on a three-game losing skid after a 3-0 start, might opt for a quarterback change. Should it be the Browns who bite on a trade, what might they be willing to surrender?
"What if Cleveland traded Odell (Beckham) straight up for Garoppolo?" the executive asked. "Would San Francisco do that? I actually don't know how many teams would want Odell. It's a big win for Cleveland if they can get his money off the books."
San Francisco has expressed an interest in Beckham in the past. That was two years ago, though, and it is unknown how the team's brain trust feels about the receiver now.
Sando adds that head coach Kyle Shanahan probably doesn't want to finish out the season with a rookie quarterback in the lineup. Would that stance change should the Niners' losing streak, now at three games, continue against the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears? That would put San Francisco at 2-5 heading into the trade deadline, probably severely diminishing the team's playoff aspirations.
If the 49ers continue to lose games before the trade deadline, is this a move that would make fans comfortable? Voice your opinion by leaving a comment or voting below.