NFL analyst drops 2020 Super Bowl QB below four other free agent quarterbacks
2021 and 2022 were rollercoaster years for NFL veteran Jimmy Garoppolo. From getting pushed out of the organization to getting back in, the quarterback's future has been on the edge of turmoil long enough to become a chapter in itself. However, in the free agent market, he appears to be on the border of getting a starting job in 2023, at least according to one NFL analyst.
In the top 100 ranking of NFL free agents on Pro Football Talk, analyst Charean Williams dropped one of the only two quarterbacks in the league to lose a Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes out of the top ten overall. She dropped him below four other free agent quarterbacks.
Will Jimmy Garoppolo start for a franchise in 2023?
She ranked Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr, Geno Smith, and Daniel Jones ahead of Jimmy Garoppolo. Overall, the quarterback was ranked 13th on the list. While still well above the vast majority of the players on the list, he was ranked fifth out of nine quarterbacks in the top 100.
The quarterbacks ranked behind him were Baker Mayfield, Jacoby Brissett, Teddy Bridgewater, and Sam Darnold. While many believe Jimmy Garoppolo isn't exactly the top free agent in the league or the best quarterback that could become available, fans were surprised to see him ranked as low as he was.
Jimmy Garoppolo's fall in NFL hierarchy follows painful 2022 season
Of course, one possible explanation could lie at the feet of Brock Purdy. The rookie seventh-round quarterback has gone roughly as far in his career with the San Francisco 49ers as Garoppolo has in his. This has led many fans to believe that head coach Kyle Shanahan is the true source of the quarterback's abilities.
Video: "Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to be really number 3 in the pecking order behind Derek Carr and Aaron Rodgers in this quarterback carousel."
"Natural fits for him are the Texans and Falcons."
https://t.co/nupel3Uq90
On top of that is the availability issue. One of the most commonly accepted supposed reasons for Trey Lance's arrival was the quarterback's availability. Throughout his career, injuries have served as a constant roadblock for the franchise. The quarterback has played more than ten games just once since the start of the 2020 season.
#49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo is going to be "costly" as a free-agent, per @JFowlerESPN
"He wants a contract that measure with his skill-set and ability."
The report adds teams around the league view him as the 3rd option after Derek Carr and Aaron Rodgers.
brobible.com/sports/article… https://t.co/XtFgIEwzS8
Of course, the only ranking that matters is how the general managers feel about the quarterback. Will he find a place to start in the NFL in 2023?