One of the quarterbacks who will be looking for a new home this offseason is Jimmy Garoppolo. His time with the San Francisco 49ers has officially ended, as the writing was on the wall right when they traded up to select Trey Lance in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Jimmy Garoppolo looked to be on his way out of town last offseason, but a procedure on his shoulder crushed whatever market he had. He was brought back as the team’s backup, which ended up being a blessing in disguise as Trey Lance was injured in Week 2.
While things haven’t gone smoothly with Lance yet, San Francisco is committed to making things work. And if they don’t with him, they can always turn back to Brock Purdy when he is healthy.
That leaves no defined role for Jimmy Garoppolo, who will be testing out free agency for the first time in his career. He is hitting the market at a very good time as he put together one of the best seasons, statistically, of his career and starting quarterback options are limited this offseason.
In 11 appearances and 10 starts in 2022, Jimmy Garoppolo completed 67.2 percent of his pass attempts for 2,437 yards, 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. While he may not possess the upside of some other options, the Eastern Illinois product is a proven winner. At the end of the day, that is the most important stat and he is 40-17 as a starter in his career.
There has been plenty of speculation about where Jimmy Garoppolo could end up this offseason as teams looking to continue contending have him near the top of their lists. One surprising prediction that was made is that he will end up with his original team, the New England Patriots.
There were some rumors of the Patriots having a reunion with Tom Brady this offseason, but he has opted to officially retire. There were some whispers that head coach Bill Belichick never wanted to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo in the first place and this would be his chance to get him back in the fold.
What would that mean for Mac Jones? The Patriots could see what his value is on the market is and likely be able to get some draft compensation for him. While a first-round pick is likely out of the question, getting some Day 2 and Day 3 picks is certainly better than nothing.
Jimmy Garoppolo is a fit for the scheme that Bill O’Brien is bringing back to New England and he is someone that Belichick likes. If the opportunity presents itself, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Patriots bring him back into the fold to become their starter for 2023 and beyond.
