NFL Trade Rumors: 49ers unwilling to let Jimmy Garoppolo go just yet

It's a summer of upheaval in San Francisco, with the franchise's starting quarterback of four years, Jimmy Garoppolo, set to hand over starting duties to Trey Lance. Lance was the number three overall pick in last year's draft.

While Jimmy Garoppolo is essentially stuck in limbo at the moment, it appears the San Francisco 49ers aren't dead set against simply sitting tight. There's been a lack of trade interest for the quarterback at the moment.

NFL Trade Rumors: 49ers willing to hang tight in Jimmy Garoppolo trade

Jimmy Garoppolo is owed $25 million this season, and it's clear that the 49ers view Trey Lance as QB1. Per Ian Rapoport, the franchise is seemingly ready to hang onto Garoppolo until August 30th, which is the deadline for NFL teams to finalize their 53-man rosters.

The Niners still have just over two weeks to find a trade partner for Garoppolo, but they can continue to have him onboard until the rosters are locked for their first regular-season game against the Chicago Bears. The franchise would then essentially guarantee his $24.2 million base salary if he's still on the roster.

Back in 2021, the 49ers traded three first-round picks to draft Trey Lance. That season, they ended up playing Garoppolo throughout the year, all the while maintaining confidence in Lance, who had two relief starts that season.

While Garoppolo is all but set to depart San Francisco this offseason, the team that has been most strongly linked has been the Cleveland Browns.

Last week, Judge Sue L. Robinson was jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA to oversee the case, giving Deshaun Watson a six-game suspension. While that decision garnered an immediate outcry over its lack of severity, the league chose to appeal that decision.

It remains to be seen if Watson will be handed an indefinite suspension by the league. However, trade rumors have most strongly linked Garoppolo to the Browns to replace Watson in the interim.

The Browns, however, don't have a lot to offer the 49ers, considering they emptied their treasure chest to trade for Watson. The Browns have also backed Jacoby Brissett to take over for Watson, and with Garoppolo owed $25 million this year, a trade appears unlikely.

The Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks have also been credited with an interest in trading for Garoppolo.

The Texans, in particular, already have a link with Jimmy Garoppolo, considering general manager Nick Caserio was in the New England front office in 2014 when the Patriots drafted him. Houston, however, does not have a lot of talent to send the other way, while the Seahawks are divisional rivals and might not want to trade draft picks to San Francisco.