The no-trade clause is one of the more significant storylines within the bigger storyline that is Jimmy Garoppolo's restructured deal. Yes, along with a no-tag clause, the new contract gives the quarterback control over his fate. In exchange, the San Francisco 49ers, who could not find a trade partner willing to take Garoppolo off their hands, save a lot of salary-cap space.
However, that doesn't mean a trade is off the table. It just means that the opportunity would have to be desirable in Garoppolo's eyes.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the 49ers and Garoppolo have discussed the possibility of waiving the no-trade clause should a competitive team lose a starting quarterback or another opportunity present itself. However, Fowler adds that waiving the clause was less of a focus than finding a way both sides could still benefit, with the trade market being non-existent.
I'm told 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo discussed possibility of waiving no-trade clause later on if something develops league-wide that benefits both sides. But that's not a primary focus.
Garoppolo's flexibility helped. His value for S.F. teammates, chance to win weighed heavily.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 29, 2022
Garoppolo's old deal and his March 8 shoulder surgery hurt his trade value. The likelihood of San Francisco being forced to release the quarterback before Week 1 negatively impacted the 49ers' leverage.
It seems almost certain that Garoppolo will remain with the 49ers beyond tomorrow's deadline to cut rosters down to 53 players. Beyond that, who knows?
For now, the 49ers have a player with playoff experience set to backup second-year quarterback Trey Lance.
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