49ers' Top Hypothetical Trade Packages for Jimmy Garoppolo

The San Francisco 49ers will be one of the top sellers on the NFL's offseason trade market. 

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo should be a wanted man by a handful of franchises as the quarterback carousel spins at a high rate. 

San Francisco triggered the outside interest in Garoppolo by moving forward with the Trey Lance era. Lance learned mostly from the sideline during the 2021 season after he was chosen with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. 

The incoming quarterback draft class is not as strong as last year's crop, and that will force teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to find their next quarterback on the trade market. 

San Francisco's ideal return for Garoppolo should feature a decent haul of draft picks. The 49ers likely will not get a first-round pick for the experienced signal-caller, but a second-round selection and one or two other picks would be a good price in return.

The 49ers only have $4 million in salary-cap space, per Over the Cap, so they are likely not interested in taking on a contract in return, especially with Lance ready to take over on a cheaper contract than the one Garoppolo has. 

Trade with Tampa Bay

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San Francisco receives 2nd-round and 4th-round picks 

San Francisco's price for Jimmy Garoppolo could be higher if it trades him within the NFC.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers make the most sense as a landing spot for the 30-year-old because the NFC South side should look for experience to replace Tom Brady. 

Brady's massive contract will come off the books for the 2022 season, which means the Bucs should be able to take on most of Garoppolo's $25.5 million deal for the next campaign.

Garoppolo is an unrestricted free agent in 2023, so it could be hard for the 49ers to drive up the price to a first-round pick. 

Tampa Bay would either use Garoppolo as a one-year bridge to a more talented draft class, or it can extend him with a new contract. 

The 49ers should demand at least a second-round pick from Tampa Bay because it is a direct competitor for a Super Bowl berth in the NFC.

Kyle Shanahan's team should ask for a third-day selection as well. A fourth-round pick is worth asking for because of the level of competition the Buccaneers provide. 

Trade with Pittsburgh

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San Francisco receives 2nd-round, 4th-round and 7th-round picks

Pittsburgh enters the offseason with Mason Rudolph as the only active quarterback on the roster.

Rudolph did not look the part of a starting quarterback in his previous replacement runs while Ben Roethlisberger was injured. 

San Francisco should be more than willing to deal Garoppolo to the AFC North if the Steelers come calling because it would take the quarterback out of the NFC. 

Pittsburgh does not have a pick in the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2022 NFL draft, so the 49ers should push for a second- and fourth-round pick. 

The 49ers might be able to squeeze a seventh-round selection out of the Steelers as well because Pittsburgh has two picks in that round. 

San Francisco is not scheduled to pick until the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, so it could collect Day 3 selections to build up depth at certain positions. 

As of now, the 49ers have six picks in the fourth round or later. They should try to add two more from the Steelers because of the AFC squad's demand for a quarterback and their own need to get younger on the back end of the roster. 

Trade with New Orleans

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

San Francisco receives 3rd-round, 5th-round and 7th-round picks

The New Orleans Saints could emerge as a trade partner for the 49ers if they do not opt to re-sign Jameis Winston. 

New Orleans may end up as a more ideal trade partner than the Washington Commanders because of their draft capital. 

The Saints own eight draft picks at the moment. That could give them more flexibility in what they could offer the 49ers for Garoppolo.

In that case, the 49ers may be willing to accept a third-round pick, as long as it comes with multiple Day 3 selections. 

San Francisco likely is not getting a first-round pick for Garoppolo, so it may be content with landing a package of picks to build up roster depth.

Like the Tampa Bay scenario, the 49ers could ask for extra from the Saints because they may be viewed as a bigger threat in the NFC with a strong quarterback in place compared to Washington. 

The Commanders only have six draft picks, and they may not be willing to part with them as they attempt to build through the draft to contend for a playoff spot. 

Washington is not in a heightened win-now mode, like the two NFC South sides, and that could lead to the franchise taking a quarterback with the No. 11 pick instead of trading for Garoppolo.