Seahawks Reportedly Have 'Discussed Possibility' of Pursuing 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo

It remains to be seen what San Francisco plans to do with Garoppolo, who will be replaced by 2021 top-five pick Trey Lance. But would general manager John Lynch be willing to deal the former starter within the NFC West?

Less than a week after the Panthers acquired Baker Mayfield from the Browns and thwarted speculation on that front, the Seahawks continue to be linked to another maligned veteran quarterback within the NFC West.

Keeping the rumor mill churning ever so fiercely weeks before the start of training camp, ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler indicated on Sportscenter on Monday that Seattle has internally "discussed the possibility" of pursuing San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The 30-year old has one year remaining on his current contract and is expected to be succeeded by second-year signal caller Trey Lance.

From @SportsCenter with @HannahStormESPN

*Deshaun Watson timeline

*49ers’ hurdles in a Jimmy Garoppolo trade

*Seattle has done its homework on the QB, at least worth watching here. pic.twitter.com/EweBXLeVEB

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 11, 2022

To this point, Garoppolo has not drawn much interest on the trade market due to an expensive $26.95 million cap hit in 2022. Like Mayfield, he also underwent offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, a major red flag for other teams considering making a run at him that has left him and the 49ers in a holding pattern for weeks.

According to Fowler, Garoppolo's recovery remains on schedule and if he hasn't already, he should soon begin throwing. If all goes well and he continues to progress, he should be able to pass a physical, which would help facilitate a deal if a trade partner can be found before or during the early stages of training camp.

It's worth noting that Fowler's report does not necessarily suggest the Seahawks have interest in trading for Garoppolo. As usual, general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll never leave a stone unturned and look into everything, even if they don't intend to actually make an offer.

Further complicating matters, interdivisional trades rarely happen in the NFL, particularly at the quarterback position. 49ers general manager John Lynch would prefer to trade Garoppolo anywhere other than the Seahawks and keep him out of the NFC West if possible.

There is precedent, however, as the Patriots traded Drew Bledsoe to the Bills after the 2001 season and the Eagles traded Donovan McNabb to the Commanders before the 2010 season. If the Seahawks actually were willing to take on some of Garoppolo's salary and trade a late round draft pick in exchange, the 49ers may be willing to consider signing off on the deal with a rival.

As Fowler accurately stated, the Seahawks know they don't have to rush into a deal and can "wait this out" with few - if any - other teams checking in on Garoppolo at this stage. As was the case with Mayfield, while they may see him as a solid fit and a better option than either Geno Smith or Drew Lock, the Seahawks likely aren't enthralled enough by him to trade any assets away to acquire his services.

By sitting pat and biding their time, there's still a chance the 49ers could cut Garoppolo in time and under such circumstances, Schneider and the Seahawks may be far more inclined to make a move at their own price without having to give up draft compensation in the process.

Time will tell what the 49ers opt to do on the Garoppolo front, but they have no leverage at the present moment. With Lance already on the roster and the veteran signal caller carrying a massive cap hit for the upcoming season, barring an injury elsewhere around the league, it would be a stunner if any team - including Seattle - actually offered a draft pick in return and volunteered to eat a chunk of his 2022 salary.

But if he's released, the Seahawks know Garoppolo well from battling against him twice a year for several seasons running. They know he's an intense competitor who has exuded toughness playing through injuries and he's had consistent success throughout his time in the NFL leading his team to victory.

While he's far from an elite quarterback and questions about his arm talent as a vertical passer persist, Garoppolo has led the 49ers to two NFC championship game appearances in three seasons and is only three years removed from throwing 27 touchdowns compared to just 13 interceptions during the 2019 season. He's also posted a glimmering 33-14 record in his career as a starter with 71 touchdowns compared to 38 picks.

Such a resume vastly exceeds that of Smith or Lock, who failed as starters earlier in their respective careers with the Jets and Broncos respectively and hold losing records. For those reasons alone, as long as they can sign him for a near veteran minimum contract as a free agent, Garoppolo could be an intriguing short-term upgrade option to keep Seattle afloat in 2022.