49ers give Jimmy Garoppolo permission to seek a trade
BOSTON -- Fire up the Jimmy Garoppolo rumor mill again. The former Patriots quarterback could be on the move soon.
Garoppolo, whom the Patriots traded to the 49ers for a second-round pick back in 2017, has been given permission by San Francisco to seek a trade, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
49ers officially have given Jimmy Garoppolo’s agents Don Yee and Carter Chow permission to seek a trade, sources said. Garoppolo has been cleared to start practicing, per team source; 49ers still are expected to exercise caution with him this summer.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 20, 2022
Garoppolo helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl in 2020 and the team was back in the NFC Championship game last season, but San Francisco is ready to move on to Trey Lance at quarterback after drafting him third overall in 2021. There have been trade rumors surrounding Garoppolo for a few years now, including some rumblings that Bill Belichick would look to bring him back to New England. While the Patriots are set at QB with Mac Jones, it sounds like Garoppolo will likely have a new team in the near future.
In his 15 games last season, Garoppolo completed 68 percent of his passes for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He had just two touchdown passes and three picks in San Fran's three playoff games.
The 30-year-old Garoppolo is entering the final season of his contract and is scheduled to to be a $26.95 cap hit in 2022. He is recovering from surgery on his throwing shoulder in March, but Schefter reported Wednesday that Garoppolo has been cleared to start practicing.