What the 49ers Should Ask the Patriots to Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo

If the 49ers trade Jimmy Garoppolo back to the Patriots, it seems they might trade him during the upcoming draft.

ESPN's Mike Reiss says the Patriots might offer their second-round pick this year (No. 46) or cornerback Stephon Gilmore for Garoppolo. And obviously, the pick is the better return for the 49ers, because Gilmore will be 31 next season and a free agent in 2022. No reason to trade Garoppolo for an old rental.

Reiss then says the 49ers could trade their second-round pick (No. 43) to the New York Jets for Sam Darnold, and he would become Garoppolo's replacement.

I think the 49ers can do better.

For starters, trading a second-round pick for Darnold would be a horrendous move. Darnold is a good athlete, but there's a reason he's such a bad quarterback who has gotten two head coaches fired -- he can't find open receivers. Has no sixth sense that tells him where to throw the ball or who will be open -- all good quarterbacks have that sixth sense.

Darnold just picks a receiver at random before the snap, stares at him and roots for him to get open. If he doesn't get open, Darnold panics and scrambles. Yuck.

The smart move for the 49ers would be to forget Darnold, and trade Garoppolo to the Patriots for a conditional second-round pick in 2022, rather than a second-round pick in 2021. Because that conditional pick would become a first-rounder in 2022 if Garoppolo starts eight or more games and the Patriots go to the playoffs next season.

The 49ers' should take advantage of the Patriots' desire for Garoppolo. Make them pay up.