Jimmy Garoppolo Rumors: 'No Clear Trade Partner' for 49ers QB Entering Preseason

The trade market for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo appears to be minimal.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday there is "no clear trade partner" for the veteran signal-caller. He added the Niners aren't going to rush into a move right now and "are willing to wait all the way to cut-down day."

Earlier in the offseason, San Francisco was probably guilty of overplaying its hand.

ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio reported in March that general manager John Lynch was telling any potential suitors one team had already been prepared to offer two second-round picks in a trade. Lynch subsequently refuted that rumor.

Still, it seems reasonable to assume the 49ers would've already moved Garoppolo by now if simply getting rid of him was their primary motivation.

The Cleveland Browns were in a similar predicament with Baker Mayfield and finally agreed to receive a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick from the Carolina Panthers. They assumed a portion of his 2022 salary as well.

The Athletic's David Lombardi laid out why San Francisco doesn't necessarily have to settle for the best of whatever bad trade returns are feasibly on the table:

However, that could embolden rival GMs to call Lynch's bluff.

The Niners are handing the offense over to second-year quarterback Trey Lance, so how likely are they to keep a backup QB with a nearly $27 million cap hit for the upcoming season? By cutting or trading Jimmy G, San Francisco will absorb $1.4 million in dead money but save $25.6 million.

Perhaps another team will get desperate enough to send something of value to Lynch in return for Garoppolo.

But it's tough at this point to envision this ending in a scenario other than the 49ers simply cutting the 30-year-old or accepting a relative pittance in a trade.