Fansided

3 teams that should trade for Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason

By Mike Phillips

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 30: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium on January 30, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 30: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium on January 30, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 23: Leonard Fournette #7 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rushes with the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 23, 2022, in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 23: Leonard Fournette #7 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rushes with the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 23, 2022, in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

2. Jimmy Garoppolo would be a good stop-gap solution for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This pick is obviously contingent on Tom Brady not pulling a fast one on us and actually retiring. If Brady opts to return to Tampa Bay for his age-45 season in 2022, he will be the starter and this spot is off the board for Garoppolo.

Context clues do point to the fact that Brady is simply waiting to pick the ideal time to announce his retirement on his own terms, making it more likely that the Buccaneers will need to find a new starting quarterback next season. Tampa Bay’s roster is built to win now and Bruce Arians can’t sell his locker room on entering the season with either backup Blaine Gabbert or second-year quarterback Kyle Trask as the starter.

Garoppolo would land on his feet in an ideal situation on a team loaded with weapons for him to work with and a tremendous running game headlined by Leonard Fournette. The Buccaneers’ defense is also a strong unit, which is part of the formula that helped the 49ers build a winner with Garoppolo in San Francisco.

This would also be a stop-gap move for the Buccaneers, who don’t want to sacrifice a year of their core’s primes by either helping a rookie quarterback through growing pains or hoping for the best with a free agent pickup like Teddy Bridgewater. Trading for Garoppolo would give the Buccaneers an excellent chance to maintain their supremacy in a weaker NFC South next season.