Jimmy Garoppolo will be one of the most sought-after quarterbacks on the free agent market this offseason, and there will be plenty of teams seeking to add a veteran to the roster.
Kyle Shanahan confirmed this week it is unlikely the signal-caller returns to San Francisco and the 49ers will be transitioning to either Trey Lance or Brock Purdy.
Garoppolo is coming off a season-ending foot injury, but he has produced solid numbers in his nine-year career. The New York Jets will be on the top of every destination list for quarterbacks, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be in the market after Tom Brady announced his retirement.
But Garoppolo could be a good fit for another NFC South team, one that has familiarity with Shanahan.
“One league personnel evaluator had a good suggested fit for Atlanta: Jimmy Garoppolo,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote Friday. “A bridge starter with QB1 upside, Garoppolo would get shades of the Niners’ Kyle Shanahan offense with the Falcons, thanks to Arthur Smith’s lean on the run and play-action. And Garoppolo would come at a reasonable financial clip.”
Desmond Ridder was not too impressive in his rookie season, and Atlanta opted to start Marcus Mariota over the Cincinnati Bearcats product before Mariota hit injured reserve.
Mariota will be in the final year of his contract next season, and Garoppolo has proven to be a better quarterback, so the fit does make sense. The NFC South is not a powerhouse division — the Buccaneers won it with an 8-9 record — so it would make sense for one of the teams to make an aggressive move.
Whether Atlanta chooses to do so or not will depend on its feelings toward Ridder as a potential franchise QB.
