Jimmy Garoppolo has had quite a rollercoaster experience as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. While the highs included moments like a Super Bowl 54 appearance, there have also been some lows, such as injuries holding him to just 45 starts since joining the organization in 2017.
With the 49ers being eliminated from the NFL Playoffs over the weekend, it appears that Garoppolo’s tenure with the team has come to an end. The 30-year-old quarterback made it clear this week that he and the 49ers are looking for trade partners this offseason now that Trey Lance will be under center going forward.
Jimmy Garoppolo made 15 starts in 2021, completing 68.3% of his passes for 3,810 yards and 20 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Teams with quarterback openings would like to bring in someone of his caliber. Fortunately, Bovada’s latest odds shed some light on which organization that could be.
According to Bovada, Garoppolo is favored to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2022 NFL season at +325 odds. A move like that would make sense considering how Ben Roethlisberger retired from the league last week.
The Steelers have too many talented offensive weapons — including Diontae Johnson and Najee Harris — to go through a rebuild. Garoppolo might not turn them into an automatic contender, but he’d be an upgrade over the way Roethlisberger threw the ball in 2021.
Pittsburgh squeaked into the postseason with a 9-7-1 record. The team won’t want to cut things close again this year, so bringing in Garoppolo would give them a better chance right out of the gate. If the Steelers can also improve their offensive line along the way, it could be a bright year for their fanbase.
Jimmy Garoppolo Odds: Commanders, Buccaneers Come Second
While the Steelers are the clear-cut favorites to land Jimmy Garoppolo, the Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit tied for second at +450 odds.
The newly-named Commanders left a lot on the table in 2021, going 7-10 after qualifying for the postseason in the previous year. Even though starting QB Taylor Heinicke is still under contract in 2022, he didn’t play like someone who could take Washington to the next level.
On the other hand, Jimmy Garoppolo could help start the organization’s new era off right. He has a lot more experience than Heinicke and is 4-2 in the postseason — which is more playoff wins than the Commanders have since 1992.
Meanwhile, Garoppolo playing for the Buccaneers is something that even the best scriptwriters couldn’t come up with. The New England Patriots drafted him 62nd overall in 2014 with the hope that he could be Tom Brady’s successor one day. Everyone knows how that didn’t work out due to Garoppolo being traded to the 49ers, but now he has a chance to take over Brady’s job now that the latter has also announced his retirement.
While the Buccaneers are in a cap crunch and need to re-sign several talents, they have the tools to help Jimmy Garoppolo succeed. They have a great offensive line, Bruce Arians is one of the best coaches in the NFL and wideouts like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (assuming they bring him back) will make life easier for the veteran signal-caller.
Obviously, Garoppolo isn’t exactly on Brady’s level and may not keep Tampa Bay as a Super Bowl contender. However, he’ll likely keep them competitive in an NFC South division where it seems like each of the other teams could be rebuilding.
Garoppolo Destination Odds 2022
Odds via Bovada as of Wednesday, February 2
- Pittsburgh Steelers (+325)
- Washington Commanders (+450)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+450)
- Denver Broncos (+650)
- San Francisco 49ers (+650)
- Miami Dolphins (+750)
- Carolina Panthers (+750)
- Green Bay Packers (+1200)
- Houston Texans (+1200)
- Las Vegas Raiders (+1400)
- Cleveland Browns (+1400)
- Indianapolis Colts (+1600)
Check Bovada.lv for the latest and up-to-date odds.
