Browns’ expected patience with Baker bad news for Jimmy G, 49ers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch arrived at the NFL Annual Meeting and said all the expected things in regard to Jimmy Garoppolo‘s status with the 49ers.
Lynch said he couldn’t foresee San Francisco cutting the 30-year-old quarterback and Shanahan claimed there is a scenario in which Garoppolo remains with the 49ers for the 2022 season. It’s a simple play by the 49ers to try and create leverage on the trade market for Garoppolo.
That’s unlikely to work. It’s clear the 49ers have already promised the starting job to Trey Lance and still are hoping to find a taker for Garoppolo.
But the 49ers likely will be stuck with Garoppolo on the roster for some time. Garoppolo, who had surgery on his throwing shoulder on March 8, isn’t expected to be able to throw until late June or early July. That, coupled with a developing situation in Cleveland, likely will continue to halt any trade market for Garoppolo.
Following the Browns’ interest and subsequent trade for Deshaun Watson, Baker Mayfield demanded a trade from Cleveland but has yet to find a home. NFL insider Josina Anderson reported Tuesday that Cleveland is expected to be patient with Mayfield’s trade situation and could keep him on the roster in case Watson is suspended by the NFL.
While anything can happen my understanding is the #Browns currently plan a patient approach w/ Baker Mayfield’s situation. It’s also entirely possible they enter the regular season with Mayfield still on the roster & in position to suit up pending Deshaun Watson’s playing status.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 29, 2022
2/2 The #Browns are budgeted for Mayfield’s 5th-yr option salary of $18.8M w/ Watson on the team. Mechanically this means the team is artfully in position to leverage his presence on the roster for a longer window. Meanwhile, Mayfield’s not in position to protest in a good light.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 29, 2022
The Browns taking a deliberate approach with trading Mayfield will only further stall a Garoppolo trade market from materializing.
Just as the 49ers had to wait for the Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Watson dominoes to fall before finding a home for Garoppolo, they now must wait for Mayfield to exit Cleveland before being able to deal Garoppolo.
For all his warts, Mayfield is young, cheaper, and has a higher ceiling than Garoppolo. It’s evident that Garoppolo has a higher value to the 49ers, either as a backup or in an unnecessary QB competition, than he does to any other team in the NFL.
Mayfield, on the other hand, has shown he has the ceiling to be a top-15 quarterback. Mayfield, 26, also likely will attract more attention from teams who aren’t immediate Super Bowl contenders as they hope to resurrect the former No. 1 overall pick’s career.
Garoppolo is an average NFL starter who can win games when surrounded by a run game, good offensive line, and solid defense. But he has met his ceiling and only has value to a team with a championship-caliber roster with a hole at quarterback.
That’s why the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers seemed like ideal fits. Both went in a different direction after Garoppolo elected to have surgery.
RELATED: Lance proved he’s capable of being starter to Shanahan
Now, the 49ers have to wait for Garoppolo to heal and for Mayfield to be dealt.
Shanahan and Lynch will continue to say the expected things publicly, hoping a need for a veteran quarterback arises somewhere by the time training camp begins.
But for now, Garoppolo and the 49ers are stuck with each other. Until Mayfield is dealt, it’s unlikely an offer, especially one the 49ers deem fair, will materialize.