Jimmy Garoppolo Rumors: Seahawks Have Discussed Possibility of Trading for 49ers QB

While most NFL teams have sorted their quarterback situations by now, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo remains an option for any team that hasn't resolved the position.

And according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Seattle Seahawks are still lurking as a potential suitor for his services (1:48 mark):

"You have Seattle that's still out there," Fowler reported Monday. "They were sort of implicated in the Baker Mayfield situation, didn't make that move. I'm told that internally they have discussed the possibility of Garoppolo playing for them. They have done their filmwork to see how he would fit."

Fowler added that a few executives he spoke to believe the Niners are "a bit stuck" in the Jimmy G situation.

That is due in part to the Niners needing Garoppolo to pass a physical after his offseason shoulder surgery before they can trade him, and they'll likely need him to agree to take a pay cut next season on his $24.2 million base salary to facilitate a move.

Plus, the "pool of suitors right now seems to be pretty small" for Garoppolo's services, according to that report.

Add in the fact that the Niners would reportedly like to free up cap space to sign Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel to long-term deals, per Fowler, and the leverage in this situation seems to be on buying side of the equation.

The Mayfield deal is a good example of what teams like the Seahawks will—or should—be looking for in a trade.

The Carolina Panthers not only gave up just a conditional fourth- or fifth-round pick in 2024 to land Mayfield, but they also will only be paying $4.9 million of his $18.8 million salary, per ESPN's Jake Trotter. The Browns, meanwhile, will pick up $10.5 million of the tab, and Mayfield agreed to convert the remainder of his salary to incentives,.

Garoppolo, 30, threw for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games, completing 68.3 percent of his passes while leading the Niners to a 9-6 record in his starts and a playoff berth.

And while the Niners reached the NFC Championship Game, Garoppolo wasn't great in the postseason, throwing for 535 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions while completing just 58.1 percent of his passes.

The knock against Garoppolo has long been that he's a solid game manager but can't make the big-time throws needed to be among the elite at the position. In turn, a talented Niners roster appears to have a ceiling with Jimmy G under center, leading the team to draft Trey Lance at No. 3 overall ahead of the 2021 season and handing him the reins this summer. Garoppolo is the classic "you can win with him, but you don't win because of him" player at the position.

But he would be an upgrade in Seattle over players like Drew Lock and Geno Smith, even if a pair of divisional rivals agreeing to a trade is uncommon and may require the Niners eating a chunk of Garoppolo's salary.