Buccaneers coach puts talks to rest

The San Francisco 49ers trading Jimmy Garoppolo to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is not happening.

Although the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could have been a very interesting landing spot for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, there is next to no chance that will ever happen.

As Pro Football Talk pointed out, it would be “New England 2014-17 all over again”, as Garoppolo would once again be serving as the backup to Tom Brady, waiting patiently for him to just retire.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times clapped back on a Sports Illustrated article suggesting Garoppolo would be a fit on the Buccaneers roster.

“Um. Not a chance fellas,” tweeted Stroud on Friday night. “As one Bucs coach told me, “If (Garoppolo) could throw a deep ball, he would’ve won two Super Bowls already.”

Not only is the Buccaneers staff not interested in Garoppolo, one member of it is totally cool with throwing shade at the 49ers starting quarterback.

Garoppolo is likely to be traded at some point this summer, but he is not going to the Buccaneers.

Jimmy Garoppolo trade rumors: Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not a landing spot

For a Buccaneers coach to say the 49ers would have two Super Bowls by now if Garoppolo knew how to throw a deep ball, that is only half true. San Francisco would have beaten the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 54 down in Miami had Garoppolo been able to connect with Emmanuel Sanders on a deep ball late in the game. As far as last year is concerned, that is a bit of a stretch.

Even if Garoppolo could have been a long-term solution in Tampa Bay, why would he willingly back up Brady for another season in a contract year? He is hitting free agency next spring ahead of his age-32 season out of Eastern Illinois. Having the opportunity to start somewhere, San Francisco or not, should be at the top of Garoppolo and his representation’s list of what needs to transpire.

As far as who can afford to take on Garoppolo’s $24 million salary for 2022, that would be the Cleveland Browns, and that is it. No other team has more than $20 million to spend. While teams like the Carolina Panthers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders are probably not interested, what about his hometown Chicago Bears? What if they are not sold on Justin Fields?

Ultimately, the 49ers will probably hold onto Garoppolo for as long as they can for two reasons. One, they want to be damn sure his eventual successor Trey Lance is the guy. And two, as sad as it sounds, some other team is going to be up against it when their starting quarterback gets hurt, either in training camp or early in the season. San Francisco would have a ton of leverage then.

Garoppolo’s time in the Bay Area is ending soon, but he is not heading to Tampa Bay this summer.