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Incoming Jets head coach Robert Saleh could bring more than his defensive knowledge to New York.
With Trevor Lawrence’s dream nearly crushed and the future of outgoing quarterback Sam Darnold uncertain, some in the NFL community have speculated if the former 49ers defensive coordinator might bring veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with him. at the Jets.
The intriguing and long-term scenario would potentially involve sending 23-year-old Darnold to San Francisco in exchange for Garoppolo, who is under contract until 2022. He signed a hit deal for $ 137.5 million on five years in 2018 and is set to earn a base salary of $ 24.1 million in 2021 (with a cap of $ 26.2 million, $ 1.4 million in signing bonus and $ 2.8 million dead cap dollars), according to Spotrac.
The Jets currently have just over $ 61 million in cap space, which is the third highest in the NFL. The move would net the Jets about $ 19 million in additional liabilities.
What makes this unlikely scenario appealing to the Jets is Garoppolo’s familiarity with the new offense in New York. Saleh would have to bring in 49ers passing play coordinator Mike LaFleur to fill the vacant Jets offensive coordinator position, which would dramatically reduce the learning curve.
Garoppolo, 29, was a second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. The eastern Illinois product spent three and a half years in New England as a backstop for Tom Brady. He missed most of the 2018 season after a trade with the 49ers after suffering an ACL tear in week three. He helped lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl after the 2019 season, but has been hampered by injury most of his career.
He’s missed 10 games this season healing a lingering ankle injury, and head coach Kyle Shanahan benched the troubled signal appellant midway through the Week 5 game in favor of CJ Beathard. Garoppolo completed 67.1% of his passes for 1,096 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions in six starts in 2020.
In addition to his injury history, some have questioned Garoppolo’s ability to perform outside of Shanahan’s heavy / west coast running system in San Francisco. Levin Black of the Niners Nation Gold Standard podcast said that knowledge of the playbook aside, Saleh and LaFleur – who were on the 49ers coaching staff for Garoppolo’s entire tenure – could be staunch advocates.
“They could really think he’s a really good quarterback,” Black said. “It looks like some people in the 49ers think Jimmy Garoppolo is a real, very good quarterback.
The Jets have other viable options if Saleh doesn’t pressure general manager Joe Douglas for Garoppolo. After posting a horrendous 2-14 record, the Jets could draft one of the non-Lawrence quarterback prospects – Ohio State’s Justin Fields or BYU’s Zach Wilson – with the second pick in this year’s draft .
Alternatively, some believe that Darnold, who was selected No. 3 overall less than three years ago, could bounce back under the right coaching staff and with improvements to the Jets’ offensive line and point guard body. The team has yet to choose Darnold’s fifth-year option. Saleh previously expressed his admiration for the USC product ahead of the Jets-49ers game in Week 2.
“I watched it a lot, whether in college or at last week’s game. … I’m a huge fan of Sam, ”Saleh said. “He’s a very good player. He’s going to have a very good career in this league. He does a lot of plays. If you’re not on your business, if you let him get comfortable there, he will set you apart as well as any quarterback. He can throw it very well and he sees the ground very well.
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