No Jimmy G for Seahawks after 49ers restructure deal with Garoppolo

The Seahawks named Geno Smith their Week 1 starting quarterback, and it’s looking more likely that he’ll hold that title for the entire 2022 season after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that the San Francisco 49ers will be holding onto quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

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The 49ers had reportedly been aiming to trade their former starting quarterback as they handed the keys of the franchise over to 2021 No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance this offseason. But Schefter reported Monday afternoon that the two sides will remain partnered for at least one more year by agreeing to a restructured contract for the 2022 season.

Garoppolo, who was traded to San Francisco from New England in 2017, started every year and game for the 49ers when he was healthy, leading them to the Super Bowl in 2019 and to the NFC Championship game in 2021.

With the Seahawks having a quarterback competition between Smith and Drew Lock, many pegged them as a suitor for Garoppolo either via trade or in free agency. Before this reported restructured contract, Garoppolo was due to make over $24 million in 2022, so it was expected that the 49ers would release him ahead of Tuesday’s 53-man roster deadlines to avoid that salary cap hit.

If Garoppolo was released, it was reported by some, including NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, that Seattle would be the ideal landing spot for the 30-year-old quarterback as that would give him the easiest path to start in 2022.

After this reported deal, it looks like the Seahawks will instead be rolling with both Smith and Lock for the 2022 season unless another quarterback becomes available. One team to watch in that case would be the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are reportedly fielding offers for Mason Rudolph as they plan to enter 2022 with Mitch Trubisky and 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett.

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