At this point in the NFL offseason, it looks like most teams already have their plan set for their starting quarterback heading into the 2022 NFL season.
Two veteran quarterbacks that were starters last year don’t look to have a starting job at the moment for the 2022 season.
The San Francisco 49ers seem to have given the reins over to second-year quarterback Trey Lance instead of Jimmy Garoppolo, and Baker Mayfield (seen above last August) has already requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns after they traded with the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson.
Both players have been excused from their team’s mini-camp, further signaling that both teams are still actively trying to part ways with their quarterbacks.
While both teams would likely want to get something in return for Mayfield or Garoppolo, ESPN NFL reporter Dan Graziano’s sources think that may not be the most likely outcome.
After speaking with several NFL executives, Graziano wrote Friday that “the majority of people” he has spoken with believe that both Mayfield and Garoppolo will be released.
Graziano did add that of the two quarterbacks, Garoppolo may be able to garner trade interest if the 49ers would be willing to take on some salary in a trade or spread his contract out over a couple of years.
The Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers seem to be the most likely landing spots for either quarterback, but both have expressed concerns about taking on the majority of either player’s contract.
That wouldn’t be an issue if one or both quarterbacks were released before the start of next season.
It would seem that either Mayfield or Garoppolo would be immediate upgrades over either Sam Darnold or rookie Matt Corral in Carolina, and Drew Lock or Geno Smith in Seattle.
Time will only tell what the Browns or Panthers will do with their respective quarterbacks in distress. But they may want to act fast as potential trade options seem to get less and less likely as each day passes.
[ESPN; image from Jason Getz/USA Today Sports]
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.