3 teams that should trade for Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason

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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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 16: Najee Harris #22 of the Pittsburgh Steelers takes the field for warmups before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

1. Jimmy Garoppolo would be a perfect bridge quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Outside of Tampa Bay, the most visible quarterback opening lies in Pittsburgh after franchise icon Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement. The Steelers advanced to the playoffs this year largely in spite of Roethlisberger, who was clearly a secondary player on a team anchored by an excellent defense and strong running game.

If that sounds familiar to you, this is the exact formula that the 49ers rode to a Super Bowl with Garoppolo two years ago. Pittsburgh would be the perfect landing spot for Garoppolo, who will give the Steelers some stability at quarterback in what could be a very challenging time for the franchise.

There is no question that the Steelers would sniff around the trade market for a bigger star like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson but it isn’t clear if they are willing to part with the premium draft capital necessary to win a bidding war for either star. Garoppolo would cost a fraction of that return and should be a viable starter for them after treating his injured thumb and shoulder in the offseason.

The AFC North won’t be an easy division with the AFC Champion Bengals looking to repeat as champions while Baltimore and Cleveland are poised to bounce back after rough seasons. Adding a guy of Garoppolo’s quality could help the Steelers contend for the division title again since he has demonstrated a repeated ability to make winning plays in the NFL.

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