According to a new report, the Seattle Seahawks have at least pondered the idea of trying to acquire quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from from the division-rival San Francisco 49ers.
In an appearance on SportsCenter Monday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler discussed the possibility of the Seahawks pursuing Garoppolo:
The 49ers are seemingly ready to pivot to Trey Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, they've been unable to move on from Garoppolo, who had surgery on his throwing shoulder in March. Once Garoppolo passes a physical, he'll be eligible to be traded again.
Of course, smart organizations don't leave any stone unturned, so the idea of having "internal discussions" doesn't mean much, in theory. However, for as much as people tried to connect Baker Mayfield and the Seahawks, there never was a concrete report that they had interest in him. Certainly, Pete Carroll and John Schneider had to have discussed whether it made sense for them to pursue Mayfield, but the fact that we're actually learning that such a conversation took place on Garoppolo feels noteworthy.
It's unclear if the 49ers would be willing to trade Garoppolo -- who, for all his flaws, has been part of a lot of team success in San Francisco -- within their division. Clearly, he would be an upgrade for the Seahawks over Geno Smith or Drew Lock.
But with the Carolina Panthers acquiring Mayfield, there aren't many seats left. Perhaps the Houston Texans would have interest in Garoppolo, but there really isn't going to be a robust market for the 30-year-old in the weeks leading up training camp.
Garoppolo is scheduled to carry a $26.95 million cap hit in 2022, although there's almost no chance he actually plays on that number for the 49ers. He could be traded, or once a physical is passed, San Francisco could release Garoppolo and be left with just $1.4 million in dead cap space. The 49ers would run the risk that Garoppolo ends up with the Seahawks if they allow him to reach the open market, though.
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