Why Jimmy Garoppolo Most Likely Will Be on the 49ers When the Regular Season Begins

Now that the Panthers have traded for Baker Mayfield, the only team currently in the Jimmy Garoppolo trade sweepstakes is the Cleveland Browns, but even they might not want him. And if they don't, the 49ers most likely would keep him even after the regular season begins.

The only way the Browns would consider trading for Garoppolo is if the NFL suspends Deshaun Watson for the entire upcoming season, which might not be easy to do. Say the league suspends him for one year. Watson could give back the money the Houston Texans paid him last season and argue that he already served his one-year suspension because he voluntarily sat out in 2021.

Let's say Watson gets to return at some point this year. In that case, the Browns almost certainly would not trade for Garoppolo. In that case, would the 49ers will release him?

I sincerely doubt it.

Cutting Garoppolo now would look foolish when they could have cut him months ago and used the cap space to sign more players who would have improved their team now. The 49ers won't make themselves look foolish. Instead, they'll hold onto Garoppolo and hope that they can trade him before the trade deadline to a team who's starter gets injured.

During training camp, I highly doubt the 49ers will make Garoppolo practice, considering they want to trade him to another team. I'm guessing they will have him throw when the media isn't watching so he can build up his arm fitness. Remember, he hasn't thrown since February.

And if the 49ers never find a trade partner for Garoppolo, they simply will say they can afford to keep him as a backup one last season because their starter is so cheap. And if Garoppolo objects, they can say he only has himself to blame for scheduling his shoulder surgery so late in the offseason.

I hope I'm wrong, but you know I'm probably right.