When the 49ers’ 2021 NFL season ended with a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, not many expected quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to remain on San Francisco’s roster in mid-May.
But as the quarterback carousel unwinded in a busy offseason around the league, no team answered the 49ers’ calls for a Garoppolo trade.
One of those teams that appeared to be a natural landing spot for the veteran quarterback was the Carolina Panthers, who entered the 2022 NFL Draft with Sam Darnold as their top quarterback on the roster.
The Panthers were a team rumored to want his services, but there is a big obstacle in the way.
According to a report from the Charlotte Observer, the Panthers “want no part” of Garoppolo’s $26.9 million salary.
“But Garoppolo’s recent shoulder surgery, as well as his injury history, is a far greater concern for some within the organization. The Panthers want no part of his $26.9 million salary, and the 49ers haven’t shown a willingness to take to carry those payments in a trade.”
Darnold, owed $18.9 million in 2022, is entering the last season of his contract.
As Garoppolo continues rehabbing his shoulder following surgery in March, the 49ers certainly seem to be running out of options when it comes to trading their longtime starter.
