Most of the news in recent days has been regarding the quarterbacks at the top of the market. But once Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers decide where they’re going to go, Jimmy Garoppolo will probably the next shoe to drop.
There’s a team that’s already kicking the tires, and maybe doing more than that. The Houston Texans — who recently hired former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans as their new head coach, and former San Francisco passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik as their offensive coordinator — have a contingent in their building that is pushing to sign the QB, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
Of course Garoppolo, who is a free agent, would have to agree to go to Houston. According to the report, the Texans are planning on signing Garoppolo as a stop-gap, and drafting a QB in the first round. That’s similar to the Trey Lance situation from two years ago, one that Garoppolo didn’t enjoy.
“The Texans could get him on a heavily-incentivized deal (due to his injury history) that they can get out of for little to no penalty after the season when their first-round quarterback has developed into a 2024 starter,” Jones writes.
While Garoppolo would ideally like to sign a deal that locks him in as “the guy” somewhere for the next few years, that may not be realistic. Wherever Garoppolo goes, it will probably be to a team that is also going to try and develop a younger quarterback.