On Monday, yet another quarterback domino fell, and once again, it wasn't San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Instead, quarterback Matt Ryan was involved as the Atlanta Falcons shipped their longtime quarterback to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a third-round selection.
Garoppolo, who's been linked to the Colts since the team traded Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders for a pair of mid-round picks, remains without an apparent destination for 2022, with the Colts, Commanders, Steelers, Falcons, Saints, and Browns having solved their quarterback issues via other options on the market.
Per ESPN's Dianna Russini, the Colts' lack of confidence towards Garoppolo had nothing to do with concerns surrounding the veteran's performances as the 49ers' starter over the past four-and-a-half seasons, but rather with the shoulder surgery he underwent on March 8, which would've limited his offseason regimen in a new offensive system.
So why didn't the Colts go after Jimmy G?
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 21, 2022
Form what I was told, there were concerns over the shoulder injury. Not so much the medical side of it but the idea of missing time in the offseason with a new team. This was a red flag.
Now, with the Colts out of the mix, is there a market for Garoppolo?
Looking at teams still with quarterback concerns, the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks still don't have starting-caliber options at the position, perhaps making them interesting candidates to acquire Garoppolo's services.
However, the Carolina Panthers have Sam Darnold on the books for a fully-guaranteed $18 million in 2022, as well as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, placing themselves in a prime position to select the quarterback of their choice at the draft position, such as Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. While Matt Rhule could very well be on the hot seat after two straight disappointing seasons and an abundance of quarterback dysfunction, the third-year head coach could use the opportunity to extend his stay in Carolina by having his coaching career contingent on a rookie he drafts.
The argument for Garoppolo to the Panthers is there: he potentially becomes the second-best quarterback in the division instantly, giving Carolina an average-caliber young quarterback to complement their strong, young roster. Additionally, Garoppolo could provide leadership with an inexperienced core, while also serving as a bridge quarterback should Carolina select one in the draft that requires some seasoning at the NFL level.
However, do those reasons justify paying over $45 million to your quarterback room in 2022, especially when the caliber of those quarterbacks doesn't warrant that significant amount of money? It's definitely not the best solution for building the strongest roster to compete for a playoff spot.
And, should the Panthers desire a starting-caliber quarterback, Cleveland's Baker Mayfield remains on the trade market, whose on the books for $18.85 million in 2022, nearly $9 million less than what Jimmy Garoppolo would command, although at a worse level of play.
Regarding the Seattle Seahawks, it's unlikely that the San Francisco 49ers would trade a veteran quarterback to a division rival, however; it's been done before. Remember the New England Patriots trading Drew Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills following his injury?
Additionally, like the Panthers, the Seahawks possess a high draft pick in 2022 and could select a quarterback on the board at No. 9 overall, with head coach Pete Caroll being linked to Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral at the NFL Combine earlier this month. Like Matt Rhule, Pete Carroll could use the opportunity to extend his stay in Seattle, as he'd then be judged by the development of a rookie quarterback.
After cutting franchise icon Bobby Wagner, the Seahawks could be primed for a quick rebuild, utilizing the 2022 and 2023 selections they acquired in the Russell Wilson trade to build their roster around cornerstone pieces D.K. Metcalf and Jordyn Brooks.
Furthermore, the Panthers and Seahawks are not in a rush to solve their quarterback situation currently, especially with the lack of market, and could wait for the results of the draft before making a decision on whether to explore a trade for a quarterback, which could harm the 49ers' short-term plans, as it would remove $25.5 million from their free agency plans without the certainty of receiving any compensation in return.
If the goal is to compete for a Super Bowl in 2022, that money could be better used towards improving the roster.
So, to answer the question, is there a market for Jimmy Garoppolo? There's the potential for one, but it may not be the 49ers' best solution, especially because it could require them to wait until the draft, costing them the ability to maximize their roster via free agency, without the certainty of compensation.
Now, should the 49ers cut Garoppolo? The situation is more complicated than meets the eye.
Jimmy Garoppolo currently has a $7.5 million injury guarantee clause in his contract, meaning that if he's cut while injured, the veteran is able to recoup $7.5 million of his $25.5 million salary and hit free agency.
However, if Garoppolo is able to earn a salary that eclipses the $7.5 million annually in free agency, the 49ers are compensated in return, however; the liquid money returns to San Francisco in 2023, rather than 2022, costing them $7.5 million this offseason, whereas a trade would recoup the entirety of the $25.5 million in savings.
But, with the teams in the market quarterback beginning to dry up, would Garoppolo be able to even obtain $7.5 million annually on the open market? While quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota got $14 million and $9.4 million annually respectively, there aren't a significant number of teams that are looking to acquire talent at the quarterback position currently, meaning the 30-year old veteran would likely have to settle for a heavily-incentive based contract that doesn't guarantee he'll eclipse the $7.5 million range.
If the 49ers are losing that $7.5 million outright, would they be better off waiting until Garoppolo's healthy to cut him in order to save the entirety of the $25.5 million, or would the best solution be to gain the $18 million now and have the capability of being active in free agency with hopes of improving the roster in 2022?
With other moves likely in their arsenal to free cap space, such as extensions for Jimmie Ward and Samson Ebukam, the 49ers may not be inclined to move Garoppolo and rather recoup the maximum amount of value for him, be it by gaining the $25.5 million in cap space via a cut, or gaining compensation in addition to the $25.5 million via a trade.
However, if their intentions are to continue improving the roster, utilizing free agency and the value remaining on the market may be in San Francisco's best interest to fulfill that plan.