49ers mailbag: Which free agents could return? Who’s available to back up Garoppolo?
The Los Angeles Rams made waves over the weekend when they sent quarterback Jared Goff and two first-round picks to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford, foiling any chance he would come to San Francisco.
But that hasn’t stopped the speculation surrounding the 49ers’ future at quarterback. For now, Jimmy Garoppolo is the clear favorite to start in 2021, but things could change quickly if the right signal caller becomes available for the right price.
We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, here’s our Super Bowl week mailbag with quarterback questions and other important items regarding the team’s crucial offseason.
Note: Some questions have been edited for length or clarity.
@scienceguy49 asks: With the cap situation being tricky, how many free agents can the 49ers realistically afford to bring back, or new players could they sign? Especially with big deals expected for Trent Williams and possibly Fred Warner.
It depends on a few key factors. Where the salary cap lands is one of them.
General manager John Lynch has said the team, for now, is operating with the expectation the cap will be at the $175 million floor collectively bargained before the season started in light of the coronavirus pandemic. There’s still a chance the cap ends up higher than that, which would make it easier to bring some of their own guys back or be aggressive for other starters in free agency.
The team’s priority is Williams, who has said the 49ers are his preferred destination while also pointing out he would like to see what the market holds. My guess is San Francisco gives Williams a competitive offer before he surveys the landscape and ultimately comes back early when free agency opens. The 32-year-old offensive tackle already made a lot of money and would have a much better shot at the Hall of Fame if he played on a winner during his remaining prime seasons rather than join a rebuilding effort.
There’s also a chance Williams’ new deal is back loaded with a smaller cap number in 2021 than future seasons when the cap gets back to its normal levels behind a new television contract for the league. The same could be said about an extension for Warner, a 24-year-old linebacker who could have his cap number unchanged while getting a pro-rated signing bonus deposited into his bank account upon signing. That’s what happened with tight end George Kittle, who has a $5.45 million cap hit in 2021 on the first deal of his five-year, $75 million extension he signed in August.
@4rmbay2bay asks: Who do you bring in to back up Jimmy G next year? Considering his injury history needing someone with starting experience that could win.
Free agents that could make sense, depending on what kind of money they’re after: Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andy Dalton. The 49ers should be appealing to them given Garoppolo’s injury history, coach Kyle Shanahan’s knack for getting decent play from backup quarterbacks and the team’s stable of weapons (should they stay healthy).
I would think Gardner Minshew might be an intriguing trade candidate should Urban Meyer’s new coaching staff with the Jacksonville Jaguars want to go another direction behind presumptive No. 1 draft pick Trevor Lawrence.
@FinessSingh asks: Best guess at who starts at strong safety week 1?
The safe bet is Tarvarius Moore, who said at the end of the season he was hoping to add muscle to handle the rigors of playing closer to the line of scrimmage, as he did late in the season while replacing the oft-injured Jaquiski Tartt (who is a pending free agent).
Moore gives the 49ers speed and versatility that would allow them to interchange at safety. His history at free safety could allow them to switch Jimmie Ward to the box or cover opponents’ tight ends in third-down scenarios.
Tartt might be the more instinctive player and sure tackler, but he’s missed 28 games over the last four seasons. It seems unlikely the 49ers would prioritize bringing him back unless his market was cold and he returned on a minimal contract.
@CDM49er asks: If the Philadelphia Eagles are going to stick with Carson Wentz, how do you think Jalen Hurts would look in Shanahan’s offense and what would you be willing to trade for him, if anything?
I’d be shocked if the 49ers were interested.
Shanahan has hinted at looking at more mobile quarterbacks, but I’d be surprised if he invested in one that would require a dramatic shift in his schematic philosophy. He said when he was hired in 2017 he wanted all his quarterbacks to have similar skill sets to avoid drop-off if a backup had to play. That was apparent in grouping of Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens.
I don’t see that changing for Hurts. Could it change for a draft prospect like North Dakota State’s Trey Lance? That’s a different conversation.
@HigherVoltages asks: Is there anyone on the roster that is considered untouchable on the trade market?
I think anyone could go for the right price, but I’m not expecting that price to be out there for any of the team’s “untouchables.”
Could defensive end Nick Bosa be included in a Deshaun Watson trade? Sure, but I’d be willing to bet Lynch would fight tooth and nail to keep him around. Bosa is a star player at a premium position with three more seasons under team control. He’s an immensely valuable asset.
There’s a line of thinking that says the 49ers should do whatever they can to get Watson from the Houston Texans, which might include Bosa or someone like, say, receiver Brandon Aiyuk. But it’s also worth noting that it will take a complete roster to win a Super Bowl, and if the 49ers had Watson, opposing offenses would be passing a lot more to try keeping up with San Francisco’s scoring. Bosa would be sorely missed in that case.
I heard something from ESPN’s Jeff Saturday this week that I had to look up to confirm. He pointed out Tom Brady’s New England Patriots teams had top-10 scoring defenses during all six of his Super Bowl wins (I looked it up and Saturday was right).
So even the greatest quarterback of all time needed the help of a good defense to win titles.
@A_Dogg86 asks: Can the Niners re-sign Trent (Williams), Juice (Kyle Juszczyk), (Jason) Verrett and K’Waun (Williams)?
Again, depends on the cap.
I think Williams is the top priority regardless. If the cap is bigger than $175 million, it would seem likely they would have the money to bring back Verrett and/or Juszczyk. K’Waun Williams is the toughest one to project because he could set the market at nickel cornerback and get something in the $8 million-per-year range, which would likely price him out for the 49ers.
I’d have to think Robert Saleh’s New York Jets would love to bring in Williams. He’d be a good use of their $63.4 million in cap space.
@1976port asks: All the talk about upgrading Jimmy, is the reason for the upgrade for poor play or for not being healthy?
I think it’s about availability. The 49ers went to the Super Bowl in their one full season with Garoppolo healthy. The team is hoping he could take a dramatic step forward if he can stay available in 2021 to squash all the offseason speculation.
With Stafford going to the Rams, I’d be very surprised if Garoppolo wasn’t the starter in 2021. Which makes me believe most of the talk about replacing him is coming from outside the building.
It’s my understanding the team considers itself in a position of strength with Garoppolo on the roster and the decision makers don’t feel they need to give up a ton of assets for an upgrade (perhaps with the exception of trading for Watson, but even that deal would have to come at the right price).
Garoppolo’s had two significant leg injuries in three seasons since signing his five-year, $137.5 million contract in February 2018. Another injury-plagued season would likely lead to the team moving on no matter what Shanahan thought of his ceiling as a player. Garoppolo’s inability to stay on the field has hurt the 49ers more than his poor play when available.
