2022 NFL QB draft class could boost Jimmy Garoppolo's trade value
Jimmy Garoppolo is a popular name that has been coming up in many trade rumors during the 2022 NFL offseason. The veteran quarterback is just 30 years old and still in the prime of his athletic career.
Garoppolo is entering the final year of his current contract for the 2022 NFL season. The 49ers also drafted rookie quarterback Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft to be Garoppolo's eventual replacement.
The two factors combined make Garoppolo a potential trade candidate this offseason. His trade value could be higher than usual this offseason considering the relatively weak quarterback class in the 2022 NFL Draft.
From @RapSheet just now:
Unless the 49ers make a Super Bowl run, the 49ers plan at QB for 2022 is “start Trey Lance, trade Jimmy Garoppolo.” https://t.co/t8DUNYo97z
His quarterback statistics have been consistently solid throughout his career whenever he has been able to stay healthy. In 47 career regular season starts, Garoppolo has completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 11,852 yards with 71 touchdowns and 38 interceptions.
He has a career 98.9 passer rating and an impressive 33-14 record. He also has a record of 4-2 in six postseason games, including winning the 2019 NFC Conference Championship game and appearing in one Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers.
How the 2022 NFL Draft class could raise Jimmy Garoppolo's trade value
Jimmy Garoppolo would have solid trade value in any offseason because of his relatively young age as a quarterback and his proven record of success in the NFL.
He also has a reasonable price tag for a quarterback, as he is owed just about 27 million dollars for the 2022 NFL season and no commitment beyond that. All of these factors make him an attractive option in the trade market.
What makes him more valuable in this particular offseason is the low-rated quarterback class in the 2022 NFL Draft. Most NFL scouts and draft experts consider this year to be a weak quarterback class compared to most other years.
There are some solid prospects, such as Malik Willis of Liberty, Matt Corral of Ole Miss, Sam Howell of UNC and Kenny Pickett of Pitt, but none of them are considered top tier prospects by most college football talent evaluators.
67.2 Comp. %
Kenny Pickett - QB - Pittsburgh
🔹67.2 Comp. %
🔹4,319 Pass Yards
🔹42 PaTDs | 7 INTs
🔹233 rush yards | 5 TDs
Will he be the first Quarterback selected in the 2022 NFL Draft? https://t.co/egzNuvQNxL
This means that NFL teams who are ready to win now but are in need of a quarterback, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos, may be more likely to pursue a veteran option rather than a prospect in the draft.
That could make Jimmy Garoppolo a more popular trade target this offseason than he would have been in most other years.