Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t supposed to be the San Francisco 49ers‘ starting quarterback in 2022. He wasn’t even supposed to be on the club’s roster. But after the 49ers failed to trade Garoppolo over the summer, the 31-year-old signed a reworked contract to stick in the Bay Area before being summoned into the team’s starting lineup following Trey Lance’s season-ending injury in Week 2.
Garoppolo eventually suffered his own injury and ceded quarterback duties to seventh-round quarterback Brock Purdy, who led the 49ers to the NFC title game. Although Garoppolo isn’t expected to return to San Francisco in 2023, he’s assembled enough of an NFL résumé to land a starting role elsewhere.
Jimmy Garoppolo Free Agency Predictions
Garoppolo Could Reunite With Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas
Earlier this year, the Las Vegas Raiders appeared to be a prime landing spot for Tom Brady. Given his lengthy relationship with former Patriots offensive coordinator/current Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, Brady would have fit like a glove with a veteran-laden Las Vegas roster.
Instead, Brady opted to retire for the second time, leaving the Raiders — who released longtime starter Derek Carr in February — without a clear option under center. Jarrett Stidham, who started Las Vegas’ final two games, had his moments, but he’s not a realistic candidate to open the 2023 campaign as the Raiders’ top signal-caller.
Enter Garoppolo, drafted and developed by the Patriots when McDaniels was calling their offensive plays. While it may seem odd for Las Vegas to sign a mid-tier quarterback like Garoppolo when they simply could have retained Carr, Garoppolo will likely come at a cheaper price.
Plus, McDaniels seemed to enjoy working Garoppolo in New England, and a personal connection can have an impact on the head coach-quarterback dynamic.
“There’s a human element to this game that you can’t ever get away from,” McDaniels said after the Patriots trade Garoppolo to the 49ers in 2017. “We understand the business side of it. But the human element — you had a guy in your room that you really enjoy being around, that you coach, that you spent a lot of time leaning and helping grow, that you saw mature and improve through the course of time, and now he’s not here.”
Garoppolo could make sense for the Raiders even if they plan to select a quarterback with the seventh overall pick, especially given that he’s played the role of bridge QB before.
He’s unlikely to be a long-term option for whichever team he signs with, but a Garoppolo-led offense that includes Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, and Darren Waller at full strength could push for a playoff berth in 2023.
The New York Jets Need a High-Floor QB Like Garoppolo
The Jets have all but revealed they intend to acquire a veteran quarterback after the Zach Wilson disaster, and Garoppolo is far from their only option. New York has inquired about Aaron Rodgers’ availability, and they’ve also met with Carr, who has ties to new Jets passing game coordinator Todd Downing.
Garoppolo and Jets head coach Robert Saleh worked alongside each other when Saleh was San Francisco’s defensive coordinator from 2017-20. Additionally, New York quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese is a disciple of the Kyle Shanahan offense — with which Garoppolo is intimately familiar — via his work with former 49ers offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello.
Gang Green likely would have earned a playoff berth in 2022 if they’d received even league-average quarterback play. With an elite defense and a set of offensive weapons that includes Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, and Breece Hall, the Jets are set up to compete for the postseason next year.
“We are going to be aggressive as heck when it comes to quarterback play and making sure that we do everything we can to satisfy that position,” Saleh said in January. “Do I want to be as arrogant to say I think this is plug and play where we’re going to get better?
“When you can run the ball, you’ve got special teams, and you have a top-five defense, you’re supposed to be in the playoffs. I think that we’ll be able to continue on the trajectory that we had been going on.”
Garoppolo can be a top-12ish quarterback in the right situation, and New York may have assembled the correct supporting cast. With a strong rushing attack married to a play-action game that can feature Garoppolo’s quick release and decision-making, the Jets would be an AFC East contender.
Garoppolo Would Give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a Tom Brady Replacement
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t have Brady in 2023, but they could sign his former backup in Garoppolo. But Tampa Bay must first decide what direction it plans to take next season.
If the Bucs want to take a step back and rebuild their roster, Garoppolo probably doesn’t make much sense. Tampa Bay already has former second-round pick Kyle Trask on the roster and could likely find a cheaper veteran if they want to give the Florida product a chance at starting.
MORE: The Buccaneers May Have Just Told Us They Plan To Rebuild
However, the Buccaneers still have a lot of capable veterans on their roster. Instead of resetting and selling off assets, Jason Licht and Todd Bowles might decide to take a chance in a wide-open NFC South. Bowles might be coaching for his job, meaning he could be adverse to even a semi-tank.
If Tampa takes the latter approach, Garoppolo should be on their call sheet. I’m not sure how well he would mesh with ball-winner Mike Evans, but Garoppolo could have success with Chris Godwin in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field.
Garoppolo and the Carolina Panthers Could Win the NFC South
Multiple NFC South teams could conceivably be competing for Garoppolo’s (and other free agent quarterbacks’) services. The Carolina Panthers might have the most talented roster in the division, but their QB situation is dire after three signal-callers — Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and PJ Walker — made at least five starts in 2022.
Carolina’s offensive line showed drastic improvement under first-year OL coach James Campen last season, a critical factor for Garoppolo, who doesn’t often go off-script. DJ Moore is an outstanding wide receiver, but the Panthers probably need to add at least one more pass catcher to the mix while fortifying their run game by re-signing D’Onta Foreman.
Garoppolo could fit in Carolina, but I wonder if new head coach Frank Reich finally wants to land a rookie quarterback after cycling through a long list of veterans with the Colts. Owners of the ninth overall selection, the Panthers wouldn’t even necessarily have to trade up to find a first-year signal-caller.
Carolina’s ideal situation may include the best of both worlds: sign a high-floor veteran like Garoppolo, then draft a high-ceiling option such as Florida’s Anthony Richardson. That combination of transactions would allow Reich and the Panthers to contend immediately while still building for the future.
Jimmy Garoppolo Market Value, Career Stats, and More
Garoppolo has always performed better statistically than he looks on tape, a benefit of spending the majority of his career as a starter under Shanahan. Over the last four seasons, Garoppolo ranks second to only Patrick Mahomes in expected points added per dropback.
No one thinks Garoppolo is the second-best quarterback in the NFL, but he is capable of leading a high-caliber offense when everything around him is aligned correctly. Garoppolo, who ranks 19th on PFN’s top 100 free agents, needs to find another situation where he can serve as a distributor rather than the focal point of an offense.
Garoppolo’s contract projection comes with wide error bars. Spotrac lists his market value at $34.9 million, which would make him the NFL’s 10th-highest-paid quarterback on an annual basis.
MORE: 2023 NFL Free Agency Predictions
A team might be willing to go that high, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Garoppolo has to settle for a one-year deal at a reduced rate. Even a multi-year pact for Garoppolo will probably contain an out after one season.
The 2023 quarterback market is abnormally strong. Not only are Garoppolo, Lamar Jackson, Daniel Jones, Geno Smith, and Carr set to be free agents, but this year’s draft class contains at least four quarterbacks who could come off the board in Round 1.
Garoppolo might be disappointed with his eventual contract offers, but he should unquestionably be able to land a starting role. Depending on the team, Garoppolo could return to the postseason for the fourth time in five years.
Jimmy Garoppolo Career Stats
- Passing Yards: 14,289
- Passing Attempts: 1,726
- Passing Completions: 1,167
- Completion Rate: 67.6
- Yards Per Pass Attempt: 8.3
- Passing Touchdowns: 87
- Interceptions: 42
- Passer Rating: 99.6