Had it not been for a restructured deal with San Francisco, Jimmy Garoppolo might have ended up with one of the 49ers’ fiercest rivals before the start of the 2022 NFL season.
No, we’re not talking about the Seahawks, despite Seattle’s reported confidence in landing the veteran quarterback.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the reigning Super Bowl champions were waiting in the wings when it seemed like the Niners were going to have no choice but to release Garoppolo.
“Garoppolo and the Rams had the makings of a deal if he was released by the Niners, who were unaware that the defending Super Bowl champions were looking into signing him, according to sources,” Schefter wrote in a column published Sunday morning.
“The 49ers didn’t learn about the Rams’ interest until after they agreed with Garoppolo on a one-year deal worth up to $16 million, sources said.”
Schefter also explained why a potential Garoppolo-Rams pact would have made sense despite challenging logistics.
“The Rams, who were eyeing Garoppolo as a legitimate backup option to Matthew Stafford, continually have demonstrated the capability to acquire high-profile, skilled veterans such as Odell Beckham Jr. or Bobby Wagner despite seemingly not having roster or salary-cap space,” Schefter wrote. “The Rams were tight against their cap, and it would have been challenging to fit Garoppolo into their salary structure.”
It makes sense why Los Angeles was interested in adding a high-end option to back up Stafford. The 34-year-old had a procedure done on his throwing elbow over the offseason to address pain he felt last season. Stafford, who didn’t throw during spring workouts and was on a throwing schedule in training camp, received an injection in the elbow in addition to the procedure.
There’s no guarantee Garoppolo sticks with the 49ers for the duration of the season, as a trade certainly is possible. But you probably can take it to the bank that San Francisco wouldn’t move Jimmy G to a division foe, let alone one that hoisted the Lombardi Trophy seven months ago.
Stafford and the Rams were trounced by the Buffalo Bills in Thursday night’s season opener at SoFi Stadium. Garoppolo’s 49ers will try to avoid a similar fate Sunday afternoon when they visit the Chicago Bears.
