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Jimmy Garoppolo and Baker Mayfield are two NFL quarterbacks in difficult positions at the moment. The former remains with the San Francisco 49ers, even though it appears Trey Lance is the new starter out in the Bay Area. Meanwhile, the latter is a lame duck figure in Northeast Ohio as the Cleveland Browns have signed Deshaun Watson to an unprecedented deal.
That should mean that both are on the trading block. Yet we are nearing the end of May and both remain with their respective teams. So why is this the case?
There is no question that both Garoppolo and Mayfield are obvious trade candidates. The problem may be what their own teams are asking for in return. It's important to remember that both signal-callers are on expiring deals in 2022. That could mean a team carries less risk with a one-year deal in place.
For teams in need of a quarterback upgrade, such as the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks, these two players are the best available. So which one is the top option?
Jimmy Garoppolo gets the edge over Baker Mayfield
Some fans may think Mayfield is the better option because of his potential upside. But he is only three years younger than Garoppolo. So it's not like he's a 22-year-old with a full career ahead.
The biggest factor here is that both players are on expiring deals. Mayfield will earn around $19 million and Garoppolo is owed just over $25 million. Thus, neither deal is too much for a team with some budget room in the quarterback position.
The dealbreaker here is experience and past success. Due to injuries, Garoppolo has had two full seasons as a starter with the 49ers. They made the Super Bowl in the first and reached the NFC Championship Game in the second. Mayfield had success with the Browns, but still only reached the Divisional Round as the crowning achievement of his four-year career.
Also in Garoppolo's favor is that he comes with far less drama. It may not sound like a big deal to Mayfield's supporters, but he could have rubbed people the wrong way both in and out of Cleveland.
Both players are coming off injuries, yet the veteran of the group has proven he can rebound and lead his team to greatness. He just needs to stay healthy. For Mayfield, he still needs to head elsewhere and prove himself in 2022 before he gets the benefit of the doubt in such a comparison.
Until then, he will be remembered as the former No. 1 overall pick who the Browns moved on from in favor of Deshaun Watson.
