Wow. What a wild day for the NFL.
When football fans woke up on the West Coast Tuesday morning, there were still plenty of question marks around two of the league's quarterbacks. By lunch time – brunch time, even – both the 2022 fates of Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson had been decided.
First came the Rodgers news, that he had inked a four-year, $200 million contract extension with the Green Bay Packers to become the highest-paid player in NFL history. Then came Adam Schefter’s shocking report, that the Seattle Seahawks have agreed to terms to trade Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.
So, what’s it all mean for the 49ers?
Jimmy Garoppolo remains the central figure of San Francisco’s offseason plans. Even though he’s expected to undergo shoulder surgery, Garoppolo figures to be a 2022 trade target for teams who need to upgrade at quarterback.
According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, the Seahawks shipped Wilson and a fourth-round pick to the Broncos and received quarterback Drew Lock, two first-rounders, two second-rounders and third-rounder. That’s a big haul for Wilson, which has to make the 49ers happy considering Wilson set the QB trade market this offseason. Trades and free-agent signings can’t officially be announced until the new league year starts on March 16.
You can argue that Garoppolo is now the most desirable veteran quarterback available, considering that Houston Texans signal-caller Deshaun Watson is still a big question mark with lawsuits stemming from sexual misconduct allegations. Carson Wentz could reportedly be traded this offseason while others like Mitchell Trubisky and Marcus Mariota are free agents. Garoppolo’s shoulder might give teams cause for concern, but he’s still got two NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance to his resume.
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It’d be hard to imagine the 49ers trading Garoppolo up to Seattle and keeping him in the division. Assuming that, the 49ers lost a potential trade partner in the Broncos Tuesday, but were helped by Rodgers’ decision to stay put. Wilson’s big trade haul also bodes well for the 49ers, who are probably seeking a package centered around a third- or second-round pick, at best, for Jimmy G. All things considered, I'd say that Tuesday's developments give the 49ers leverage to continue to demand a solid return in a Garoppolo trade.
Teams still in the market for a quarterback include the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers.
For the NFC West, it’s officially the end of an era. Wilson roamed the pocket for Pete Carroll and the Seahawks for the past decade, earning nine Pro Bowl invites in 10 seasons and bringing the franchise its only Super Bowl victory in 2014. There’s a new order in 2022. The rest of the division is now clearly trying to keep up with the defending champ Los Angeles Rams.
The Niners’ offseason task list remains the same – with Garoppolo’s trade at the top of the list. His surgery situation puts things in limbo, but Tuesday’s moving and shaking brings a little more clarity to the situation and Jimmy G could be the next domino to fall.
