With Derek Carr off to New Orleans, Aaron Rodgers still mulling a decision, Geno Smith and Daniel Jones re-signed and Lamar Jackson on the non-exclusive franchise tag, Jimmy Garoppolo is the top free agent quarterback on the market as we head into the new league year.
According to NFL insider Albert Breer via Dov Kleiman, Garoppolo isn’t going to play for cheap either. He’s reportedly seeking over $25 million per year on a free agent contract.
Teams that have reportedly had interest in Garoppolo include the Houston Texans, the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets. Though judging by this contract demand, Garoppolo won’t be anybody’s backup option.
Some fans are taking this as a sign that their team should end their pursuit of Garoppolo immediately, while others believe that he’s going to fleece a team in free agency soon.
Jimmy Garoppolo is 40-17 as a starter with a 67.6-percent completion rate and 2-1 TD-INT ratio. But his biggest problem over the past few years has been an inability to stay healthy.
In 2019, the one year where Garoppolo played every regular season game, he led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl. But in the three seasons since the, he’s missed a whole 18 games.
Will Garoppolo get his asking price in free agency, or will he be forced to sign on somewhere as a backup?