The potential star power available to the quarterback in this off-season could be enough to dramatically change the NFL landscape. Deshaun Watson seems ready to leave Houston. Matthew Stafford is on his way out of Detroit and a solemn press conference from Aaron Rodgers has sparked speculation (emphasis on speculation) that he may be done with the Packers.
The 49ers may be looking for an upgrade at the quarterback, meaning every possible signal caller available will be paired with San Francisco and head coach Kyle Shanahan. While that logic stays with you, especially in the case of an obvious upgrade from Garoppolo like Watson or Rodgers, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.
First, there is no substantial reporting linking the 49ers to any of the possible trades.
The Dolphins and Jets are the only teams mentioned in coverage of Watson.
Reporting on Stafford has just indicated that the Lions are receiving calls about a trade now that they have agreed to part with their quarterback.
Rodgers only had a sad press conference that led some to read between the lines of his answers. There is nothing on his table yet to indicate that he even wants to get out of Green Bay.
The other thing to keep in mind is where the 49ers stand with Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch have both indicated that they expect Garoppolo to be the starter next season.
Shanahan said the player would need a significant upgrade to keep San Francisco entertained with making a change at the quarterback. Taking into account the design capital it would take to acquire a quarterback that represents the significant upgrade the 49ers would be looking for increases the risk factor in any risk reward analysis for San Francisco.
It seems and sounds like the 49ers coaching staff and front office feel better about their odds with Garoppolo below the middle than some fans and analysts. They have said the right things about the QB, and their actions have supported that so far. They haven’t drafted a quarterback since hitting CJ Beathard in the third round of the 2017 draft. That certainly could change this year with no quarterbacks other than Garoppolo and journeyman Josh Johnson under contract for next season, but that shouldn’t change Garoppolo’s short-term prospects as San Francisco’s starting signal caller.
Shanahan has made a roster full of playmakers who can still produce yards and big plays even when Garoppolo’s weaknesses push the ball across the field. Trading valuable concept capital in a year when the salary cap could become a problem and so many gaps in selection have arisen would only make sense to a franchise-changing player below the middle.
Now there is a discussion to be had about Garoppolo’s long-term future with San Francisco.
They’ve chosen not to renew him, even though this could potentially free up some cash in the short term, and his injury woes are a real concern for a team that feels like it’s in the middle of a championship bout. Not to mention Garoppolo’s shortcomings, as a quarterback is unlikely to be something Shanahan will want to catch up with for the next decade.
Still, that doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to make a move for an available quarterback, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they never end up being a real factor.
Watson has a trade ban that allows him to dictate where he plays. If the 49ers aren’t a team he prefers, there’s nothing San Francisco can do about it.
Stafford has less control, but the Lions may be willing to partner with him if their relationship is still good. There’s also a chance that Stafford won’t meet the upgrade threshold that Shanahan says he needs to move on from Garoppolo.
Rodgers may not even want to be traded, so it will be on the back burner for now. Even then, he has quite a bit of leverage, with the 49ers could be a non-factor if he doesn’t want to go there.
The 49ers will soon have to come up with their long-term answer to the quarterback. It’s the most important position on the field and Garoppolo may not be the player they’re going to build around. However, that doesn’t mean they have to do anything drastic in 2021. Just because there are quarterbacks on the way doesn’t mean San Francisco is guaranteed to get involved. And when it comes down to it, they may not have much of a choice.