According to Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns will look into acquiring 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo if they end up losing QB Deshaun Watson for significantly longer than his current six-game suspension.
Doug Kyed reported the Browns did their homework on Garoppolo earlier in the offseason, so this doesn’t come as a big surprise.
Cleveland initially planned to go with QB Jacoby Brissett, anticipating a shorter suspension for Watson of at most eight games. However, the NFL is appealing the ruling of six games right now and the expectation is Watson is suspended for much longer, perhaps the entire 2022 season.
Garoppolo has been available for months as the 49ers turn things over to 2021 first-rounder Trey Lance and would easily be the best starting option available to Cleveland.
The Browns also make the most sense as a potential starting opportunity for Garoppolo, so it’ll be interesting to see what, if anything, the 49ers and Browns can work out together.
He’s coming off of offseason shoulder surgery, but passed his physical and did not start camp on the PUP list.
Garoppolo, 30, is a former second-round pick of the Patriots back in 2014. The Patriots traded him to the 49ers in 2017 at the trade deadline in return for a 2018 second-round pick.
Garoppolo was in line to be an unrestricted free agent when the 49ers signed him to a five-year, $137.5 million contract during the 2018 offseason.
He’s in the final year of that deal and slated to make a base salary of $24.2 million in 2022.
In 2021, Garoppolo appeared in 15 games for the 49ers and completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 51 yards and three touchdowns.
We will have more news on Garoppolo as it becomes available.
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