Niners reportedly have no plans to trade Jimmy Garoppolo after blockbuster trade with Dolphins

The San Francisco 49ers just announced to the football world that they’re going quarterback at the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. So that means the Niners are going to trade Jimmy Garoppolo, right?

Not so fast, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Shortly after reporting San Fran’s blockbuster deal with the Miami Dolphins to move up to the third pick in the draft, Schefter added: “49ers now square in the QB mix [in the draft], but are holding on to Jimmy Garoppolo and have no plans to trade him, per sources.” He later continued: “49ers’ source today: ‘Jimmy is here to stay. He’s our guy this year.'”

But of course, this is what the folks call The Lying Season™. And this wouldn’t be the first time that Schefter said repeatedly and firmly that Garoppolo wasn’t being traded, only for the rug to be pulled out at the last minute. Schefter insisted the Patriots were not trading Garoppolo throughout the 2017 season until the trade deadline, when the Patriots shipped Garoppolo to San Francisco for a second-round pick. So it’s quite possible that the initial report is just posturing to make sure teams send competitive offers their way, or that minds could be changed between Friday and the start of the 2021 season.

If the Niners trade Garoppolo, the Patriots would certainly be considered among the favorites. “Jimmy G” is a logical choice to come back to New England, where the quarterback situation lacks upside and long-term clarity. As it stands on Friday, Garoppolo is the best option for Bill Belichick to land a quarterback he knows would work in their offense and have the potential to start beyond 2021.

Let’s say the Patriots do end up acquiring Garoppolo after Friday’s trades. They may still be in the mix for a quarterback in the 2021 draft, just on day 2 instead of day 1. Scroll down for the best QB options in that next tier.

• Kyle Trask, Florida

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  Trask has prototypical size at 6-foot-5 and projects as an accurate and productive pocket passer at the NFL level. One of the big knocks on him is his lack of mobility, which will hinder his chances to improvise when plays break down like many other QBs can do in the modern NFL. So Trask will need to excel as a pure pocket passer to be a good long-term starter. But the tools and the potential are there.

• Jamie Newman, Georgia

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  Newman was a Bulldog in name only. He transferred to Georgia for his senior year after three seasons at Wake Forest, but ended up opting out of the 2020 season. He had some impressive moments during Senior Bowl week, though, and met with all 32 teams. Fair or not, Newman's decision to opt out will be held against him. But whoever drafts him will get a QB with good size (6-foot-4) and the physical tools to be a legitimate dual threat. He'll need time to develop since he's behind other prospects in that regard.

• Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

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  Mond's name came up in the news cycle recently, after noted contrarian Chris Simms put him in his top-5 QB prospects heading into the draft. Most other analysts project Mond as a third or fourth-rounder at best, mainly due to his inconsistency with his accuracy and mechanics during his time in college. He doesn't sound like a Belichick type of QB, but Mond's size and athletic ability give him a chance to be molded into something down the road.
• Davis Mills, Stanford

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  Mills is another pocket passer who lacks the ideal mobility of the modern prototype for a franchise quarterback. He also played only two seasons as a starter in college. These factors should keep Mills in the late day 2-early day 3 range at the draft, and a huge Pro Day might be his only way out of that. But Mills' short-to-intermediate accuracy does make him a Belichick type of prospect, in theory. In the right situation, there's potential for Mills to become something better than his draft stock.

• Shane Buechele, SMU

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  Belichick may like Buechele because he's demonstrated good accuracy and decision-making running the SMU offense. His high football I.Q. may allow him to at least carve out a nice, long career as a backup. The problem is Buechele lacks ideal size (6-foot-1), arm strength, and athleticism for the position at the highest level. So his accuracy, ball security, and command of the offense will have to be impeccable for him to sustain a career as a legit starter. And it's why he could end up going on Day 3 instead of Day 2. But he's a name to know for the Patriots.

MORE: Patriots Still ‘Sniffing Out’ QB Trade?

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.