5 teams who could trade for Jimmy Garoppolo in the offseason

2. Minnesota Vikings

Walk with me down this path. 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator in Washington from 2010-2013, where he overlapped with Kirk Cousins for two years. Before the trade for Garoppolo, it’s safe to assume Shanahan had an eye on a possible reunion with Cousins when his formal pupil headed toward free agency the following March.

Rather than let him play out the final year of his deal in 2020, the Vikings gave Cousins a two–year contract extension last offseason. A trade in 2021 would leave behind a less-crushing $20 million in dead money, compared to $41 million in dead money if they cut him. Cousins’ $21 million in guaranteed salary for 2021 would transfer to an acquiring team. If the 49ers moved off Garoppolo, one way or the other, they would clear $24.1 million in cap space to go with the $2.8 million in dead money.

The 49ers could acquire a quarterback their head coach might still want, and it’s worth noting Cousins has been durable behind a bad offensive line in Minnesota. Garoppolo has obviously not been able to stay on the field. But if there’s an opportunity to shed Cousins and move on, general manager Rick Spielman would have to take it, wouldn’t he?

The 49ers and Vikings could swap their quarterback problems rather easily, perhaps with a draft pick attached on both sides. Don’t rule it out.