The 49ers Are Demanding a First-Round Pick In a Jimmy Garoppolo Trade

The New England Patriots have been looking around for other options at quarterback and kicked the tires on old friend Jimmy Garoppolo. The San Francisco 49ers put a pretty high price on the 29-year-old though, asking for a first-round pick in exchange. That's a ridiculous ask and the Patriots won't meet the demand.

Mike Giardi joined the NFL Network on Friday and had that report:

Remember this is a guy who fell off a cliff in 2021. He only started six games and while he completed 67.1 percent of his passes, he threw seven touchdowns against five interceptions and posted a quarterback rating of 92.4 That came after a stellar 2019 season where he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl but fell apart at times during that playoff run. It feels like defenses have figured him out.

A first-rounder for Garoppolo is an absurd price, and I'm sure the 49ers know that. Frankly, Niners general manager John Lynch should be begging anyone to take him. Garoppolo is due a $26.4 million cap hit in 2021, something that could easily be shed off the books with a trade. If San Francisco moved the quarterback, it would only cost them $2.8 million in dead cap.

It seems like a no-brainer for the 49ers to trade Garoppolo if anyone will take him, especially after moving up to the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. San Francisco knows it will get its quarterback of the future with that selection, so keeping Jimmy G around seems like a waste.

I know Bill Belichick has a fondness for Garoppolo but he's not dumb enough to give up a first-rounder for his former pupil.