Jimmy Garoppolo landing spots: Commanders, Broncos among best fits for 49ers quarterback in 2022

Jimmy-Garoppolo-012722

Jimmy GQ is walking the runway for his next squad.

Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers are heading for a split this offseason, ending a five-year run that resulted in two NFC championship game berths, a Super Bowl appearance and generally helping reinvigorate the 49ers offense.

Garoppolo and general manager John Lynch are working side-by-side to find a place where the quarterback can try and win next year, and the market may be wider than people think. While the 30-year-old isn't going to shift the landscape of a division or Super Bowl odds like an Aaron Rodgers might, his winning history could offer an instant spark for a playoff-ready team.

After all, Garoppolo is 31-14 as 49ers starter, and has shown the ability to get hot and make plays for a team.

MORE: Projecting all 32 NFL QB starters come the 2022 season

Here are some of Garoppolo's best fits entering the 2022 offseason:

Jimmy Garoppolo landing spots

Assuming Garoppolo wants a starting job, there are several spots he could go to get what he wants for readymade squads:

Commanders

The newly minted Commanders have a fresh look, but they may need a fresh take at quarterback, as well.

While the Taylor Heinicke experiment was entertaining at times in 2021, Washington's original option to start the season was Ryan Fitzpatrick. That's not exactly the most capable quarterback room when you're trying to win a Super Bowl with a ready-to-win team.

With Washington still looking to run the ball at an increased rate and play solid defense, Garoppolo could make sense — that's just about what he was expected to do with San Francisco, and it got them all the way to the NFC championship game twice, and a Super Bowl once.

Whille Garoppolo might not have Fitz-magic, he's a few steps above the tragic QB play Washington has dealt with over the last two decades.

Broncos

It's hard to imagine a world where Aaron Rodgers won't be plan A for Denver, but Garoppolo as a plan B wouldn't be a bad idea either.

New coach Nathaniel Hackett bringing some Packers flavor to a Denver offense that features arguably the best skill-position cast in football is going to be fun to watch. If Rodgers doesn't end up in Denver, a skill group that features Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Noah Fant and upstart rookie running back Jevonte Williams is more than enough to help Garoppolo's game.

Buccaneers

Jimmy Garoppolo succeeding Tom Brady — just like everyone thought.

Bruce Arians probably doesn't have a lot longer coaching in the NFL given that he's turning 70 in October, and wanting to figure things out with a rookie or young quarterback probably isn't at the top of his list when he still has a win-now squad.

Of the potential stopgap quarterbacks, Garoppolo would give the Buccaneers both a chance to win now and enough time to figure what they may have in Kyle Trask, a 2021 second-round pick. 

After 2022, the Buccaneers have a lot of cap issues to figure out, so keeping Garoppolo as a one-year Band-Aid is probably their best option if they want to win in what's projected to be a weak NFC South.

Saints

Speaking of the weak NFC South, the Saints are stuck in the league's worst cap situation, so they'd have to make some money moves before considering any kind of Garoppolo trade.

New Orleans will likely target a quarterback in the draft — pretty much a given considering the cost savings at the position on a rookie deal — but if a new head coach wants to implement the scheme and system of his choosing without having to worry about also grooming a rookie QB in a tough situation, then the Saints may consider bringing Garoppolo to the bayou for a spell.

Still, it's a longshot if the Saints can't figure out their cap situation, even if Garoppolo may be the best option for them right now.

Steelers

Mike Tomlin has made it clear in the past that he doesn't want to start over with a rookie quarterback in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. The Steelers won't be able to avoid drafting a rookie forever, and swinging a trade for Garoppolo would offer the best of both worlds.

A deal for Garoppolo wouldn't take a first-round pick (unless the market is hot after him), and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport likened the situation to the Carson Wentz trade in 2021, noting that a conditional second-round pick could be the return.

Considering how well the Steelers draft, their immediate need for a quarterback, and being able to still hang onto their first-round pick and potentially take a rookie in the 2022 NFL Draft, it seems like a no-brainer for both sides.

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