Potential Trade, Free-Agent Landing Spots for 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo

In an announcement that should surprise no one, Jimmy Garoppolo confirmed that the San Francisco 49ers are working on trades that would see the quarterback wearing a new uniform next season.

The Sacramento Bee's Chris Biderman relayed the news Tuesday afternoon.

Garoppolo has been considered a lame duck since the 49ers made a splash ahead of the 2021 draft, giving up four picks—including a trio of first-rounders—to move up nine spots, eventually landing Trey Lance at No. 3 overall.

While Garoppolo retained his starting job for the 2021 campaign, it’s been widely expected that the 30-year-old would be dealt this offseason regardless of how San Francisco fared in the postseason.

With the Niners clearly ready to forge ahead with Lance under center after their elimination in the NFC Championship Game this past weekend, here is a look at five teams Jimmy G could land with for the 2022 season.

The Houston Texans are in dire need of talent up and down the roster after stumbling through a predictably tough 2021 season.

Acquiring a proven quarterback like Garoppolo could jump-start the team's rebuilding efforts.

Houston used a third-rounder on Davis Mills last year, but the Stanford product had a trying rookie campaign.

Mills was thrust into the starting lineup after starter Tyrod Taylor went down, and the results were mixed.

While the 23-year-old completed a respectable 66.8 percent of his passes for 2,664 yards and 16 touchdowns, he also threw 10 interceptions, took 31 sacks and went just 2-9 in his 11 starts.

Although the Texans aren't projected to contend next season, acquiring a quarterback of Garoppolo's caliber would lock a significant piece of the rebuilding puzzle into place.

If the Texans decide Mills isn't the right player to lead the franchise forward, Garoppolo could help right the ship while the club works to land a high-end prospect in one of the upcoming drafts.

There is familiarity between Garoppolo and Houston's brass, as general manager Nick Caserio was working as director of pro personnel under Bill Belichick when the club took the Eastern Illinois product in the second round of the 2014 draft.

That connection could help the Texans secure Garoppolo despite the QB's desire to land with a winning team.

With four picks within the first 80 selections of the 2022 draft, Houston has no shortage of capital to make a deal happen.

Given the amount of turbulence surrounding the Texans in recent years, adding a reliable game-manager like Garoppolo would do wonders for the organization.

The Ben Roethlisberger era recently came to an end in Pittsburgh, with the longtime signal-caller officially hanging up his cleats after 18 seasons.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, there is no viable succession plan in place.

Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins—the only other quarterbacks on Pittsburgh's roster at the end of the 2021 campaign—haven't proved to be long-term options under center.

Pittsburgh may use the No. 20 pick on a quarterback, but this year's class leaves much to be desired. Even if the Steelers do expend an early selection on a signal-caller, they could still bring in a veteran to serve as a bridge quarterback.

Garoppolo proved more than capable of doing exactly that, guiding San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game for the second time in three years despite Lance lurking behind him all season.

It remains to be seen what the 49ers will ask in return for their veteran quarterback, but NFL insider Ian Rapoport estimated that Garoppolo would likely cost a second-rounder based on what the Colts coughed up for Carson Wentz last year.

Given Pittsburgh isn't exactly flush with draft capital—the club dealt away fourth-, fifth- and sixth-round picks for the 2022 draft—team brass could determine Garoppolo's cost is too steep for a stopgap option.

However, with no heir to Roethlisberger under contract and limited options in the draft, Garoppolo just might be worth giving up a second-rounder to acquire.

He'd provide the team with a stable starting quarterback, one who can keep Pittsburgh in the playoff hunt for the next few seasons.

The Denver Broncos just wrapped up another losing campaign, their fifth consecutive sub-.500 season and sixth in a row without a playoff appearance.

While not all the blame can be placed on the quarterback position, it hasn't helped that the team has featured a revolving door of subpar signal-callers since Peyton Manning retired following a Super Bowl 50 victory.

Teddy Bridgewater was the latest veteran who Denver kicked the tires on, getting uninspiring play at best during his one-year deal.

It's clear that Bridgewater isn't the answer for the Broncos, but perhaps a fellow 2014 draft pick could return this club to the playoffs.

Denver has been linked to some of the league's more prolific quarterbacks—Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins are the most notable—but the organization may have to settle for a lesser-tier target like Garoppolo if it whiffs on Pro Bowlers.

Garoppolo never developed into the potential star he showed flashes of becoming during his time with the New England Patriots and early in his Niners career, but he's reached the playoffs in his two healthy San Francisco seasons.

The Broncos' war chest is loaded right now, with four of their 2022 draft selections falling within the top 75. Moving a second-rounder for Garoppolo would be well within their means.

Garoppolo should have more than enough talent around him to get the job done in the Mile High City.

Denver features an elite defense—ranking No. 8 in total and No. 3 in scoring defense this year—and an offensive supporting cast that includes solid wideouts in Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick, plus a promising running back in Javonte Williams.

With a quality quarterback like Garoppolo under center, the Broncos would have the upside to be a contender in 2022.

Washington struck out on potential franchise quarterbacks in the 2021 draft, watching as all the highly regarded prospects came off the board before it got on the clock.

The Commanders are now back at square one, looking for a new starting quarterback after missing the playoffs with Taylor Heinicke directing the offense.

Garoppolo could be the answer for Washington, especially if the club doesn't believe in the potential of a weak 2022 draft class.

Washington tried to settle for a veteran last year, dishing out a hefty one-year, $10 million deal for Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Although that experiment ended in disappointment—the 39-year-old lasted two quarters before being lost to a hip injury—the team shouldn't be afraid of taking a shot with Garoppolo.

There's a front-office connection here as well, stemming from GM Martin Mayhew's time as a senior personnel executive in San Francisco. He was working in that role when the team brought in Garoppolo from the Patriots during the 2017 campaign.

Mayhew knows what Garoppolo can bring to the table, as the 2019 49ers went 13-3 and won two playoff games before coming up just short against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.

With plenty of draft capital—a 2022 fifth-rounder is the only selection Washington has dealt away from its next four drafts—the Commanders could do far worse than acquiring Garoppolo, a player who would keep them competitive in the NFC East.

While he was once the heir apparent to Tom Brady in New England, Garoppolo could finally end up replacing the future Hall of Famer in Tampa Bay.

Brady officially announced his retirement on Tuesday, bringing an end to the greatest career in NFL history. The move also left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without a clear-cut starter for the 2022 season.

This pricy, veteran-laden roster is ready to contend, but the Bucs need a proven asset at the quarterback position to unlock their armada of offensive talent.

Kyle Trask is the only quarterback under contract for the upcoming campaign, but the second-year player is still a developmental prospect.

While the organization has the option of bringing veteran Blaine Gabbert back into the fold, it's not an ideal move for a squad that could still win plenty of games without Brady.

Expect the Buccaneers to try to swing a blockbuster trade for a signal-caller now that they are sure Brady isn't coming back for his age-45 season.

While a higher-tier option such as Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson would be the most ideal pickup for the defending Super Bowl champs, it will be difficult for the Bucs to acquire a player of that caliber.

If the club strikes out on the big-name quarterbacks, Garoppolo would be a perfect fallback option. 

Tampa's brass has shrewdly retained its own picks in each of the first five rounds of the upcoming draft, giving the organization plenty to work with in a potential Garoppolo trade. 

It may be difficult for Tampa to squeeze Garoppolo under the cap—he's due to make $24.2 million in base salary for 2022—but the team has various options to reduce Brady's cap hit following his retirement.

The Bucs could also immediately extend Garoppolo after acquiring him, a move that could bring down Garoppolo's cap hit next season.

It would be worthwhile to do so, as Garoppolo is more than capable of leading a team loaded with talent on deep playoff runs. He's accomplished that feat in two of the past three years as part of a 49ers squad that boasts fewer star players than the Bucs employ.