ESPN’s Yates believes 49ers have leverage in Jimmy G trade talks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Jimmy Garoppolo, who expects to be heading to a new team in 2022, hoped to avoid any offseason surgeries.
Two weeks before he could officially be traded, Garoppolo decided to have a procedure on his right shoulder to repair a torn capsule.
ESPN NFL insider Field Yates said on 49ers Talk that he believes the timing of Garoppolo’s decision enables the 49ers to still get a nice return in a trade at or near the beginning of the new league year on March 16. Teams are allowed to make trade official beginning on that date.
“It keeps it on track because it’s not the kind of thing that needs to be addressed,” Yates said. “You’re having negotiations. You get down to the 5-yard line, ‘Hey, oh by the way, Jimmy’s thinking about getting shoulder surgery.’
“It’s done. It’s out in the open now. So if you’re communicating with — and we’ll just throw some teams out there — the Commanders or the Steelers, and you’re saying, ‘You’re not going to have him until the summer, but he’s going to be good.’”
The 49ers will allow any interested team to examine all of Garoppolo’s medical attention while the trade negotiations are taking place. The 49ers plan to trade Garoppolo to get something in return, create $25.5 million in cap space and clear the way for Trey Lance to take over as the team’s starting quarterback.
Garoppolo is expected to be ready to begin throwing approximately one month before the opening of training camps in late July.
Despite Garoppolo’s physical condition, the 49ers might have bargaining power when it comes to the possibility of trading Garoppolo because he is among the most desirable of the quarterback options this offseason.
“Could a first-round pick be in play?” Yates asked. “I think you could argue that Jimmy is as valuable potentially to a team as Sam Bradford once was to the Minnesota Vikings or Carson Wentz was for one year to Indianapolis.”
The Colts acquired Wentz last offseason from the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick in 2021 and a conditional pick that turned into a first-rounder this year. After one season, the Colts have indicated they are ready to move on from Wentz.
“The 49ers could have more leverage than you might realize because if you just made a list of every quarterback who is available this offseason, I think Jimmy Garoppolo probably checks more boxes for teams ready to win right now than any of the potential rookie quarterbacks,” Yates said.
And the veteran market is not expected to be strong, either.
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The most-coveted quarterback who could change teams this offseason is Aaron Rodgers, the league’s most valuable player. He is expected to soon reveal his plan for the upcoming season. Rodgers could opt to return to the Green Bay Packers, announce his retirement or force a trade.
As Yates points out, many of the other veteran quarterback options are also coming off injuries, such as Jameis Winston, or have already run their course as starters like Andy Dalton.