Peter King Predicts 49ers Will 'Hang On' to Jimmy Garoppolo amid Trade Rumors
May 24, 2022
The San Francisco 49ers have yet to trade Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, and they might decide to keep the veteran quarterback to start the 2022 season.
NFL insider Peter King said on The Rich Eisen Show (around the 1:30 mark) that "if he had to guess," the 49ers are "probably going to have to hang on to Jimmy Garoppolo" because no one is offering a lot in a trade package for him and that the franchise really doesn't know what they have yet in second-year quarterback Trey Lance.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan then told reporters Tuesday that he still expects Garoppolo to be traded, though it's not a guarantee. He added that everything "went on hold" when the veteran underwent shoulder surgery in March.
King's comments come after Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported Monday that the 49ers still plan to trade Garoppolo this offseason. He added both Garoppolo and the Niners are "willing to be flexible to find the best situation" for the veteran.
That said, Garoppolo is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, which essentially made his trade value plummet. So, it wouldn't be surprising to see him remain on the roster and compete for San Francisco's starting job alongside Lance.
If Garoppolo and Lance end up in a quarterback competition this summer, 49ers tight end George Kittle noted that he's not sure who would win, telling Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio that it's a "tossup" for him.
Garoppolo has been included in trade rumors for months following San Francisco's decision to draft Lance third overall in 2021. However, the 30-year-old's $27.0 million cap hit for 2022 has complicated matters, with no team yet willing to take on that kind of salary for an injury-prone signal-caller.
That said, the 49ers could always release Garoppolo this summer if they decide Lance is their quarterback of the future and can bring the team success in 2022. If San Francisco releases the 2014 second-round pick after June 1, it will save $25.5 million, per Spotrac.
That would allow Garoppolo to sign elsewhere for the 2022 campaign. However, he wouldn't make nearly as much money, and not many teams currently need a quarterback as much of this offseason's vacancies have been filled.
The Indianapolis Colts traded for Matt Ryan; the Atlanta Falcons signed Marcus Mariota; the Denver Broncos traded for Russell Wilson; the Washington Commanders traded for Carson Wentz; and the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Mitch Trubisky and drafted Kenny Pickett.
That said, the Carolina Panthers are still sniffing around the market for Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield as a replacement for Sam Darnold, and while the Seattle Seahawks appear comfortable with Drew Lock to start 2022, both teams could potentially show interest in Garoppolo if he were to become a free agent.
Garoppolo had a decent 2021 campaign, completing 68.3 percent of his passes for 3,810 yards and 20 touchdowns against 12 interceptions in 15 games. If he shows he can stay healthy, he'll almost certainly find a new home as a starter.