Jimmy Garoppolo to stay with 49ers as backup on restructured contract

As recently as Friday, San Francisco 49ers veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was being heavily linked with a Seattle Seahawks team that was having journeyman Geno Smith compete with 2019 second-round draft pick Drew Lock for their starting job. 

The Seahawks later named Smith their Week 1 starter, and it appears that left Garoppolo out of options as it pertains to finding a new home atop a depth chart this summer. 

According to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (h/t Nick Shook), Garoppolo will stay with the 49ers to serve as the primary backup to 2021 rookie Trey Lance. The 30-year-old who was set to have his $24.2 million base salary for 2022 become guaranteed ahead of Week 1 has reportedly agreed to a pay cut and a deal worth $6.5 million fully guaranteed that includes incentives that can allow him to possibly earn around $16 million. 

Per the contract's terms, Garoppolo's 2022 salary-cap number drops from $26.95 million to a more team-friendly figure of around $8.5 million. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter added that Garoppolo's agreement contains a no-trade and no-tag clause and, thus, will allow him to hit free agency in 2023. 

Multiple insiders previously reported that the Cleveland Browns had no interest in trading for Garoppolo even though starter Deshaun Watson received an 11-game suspension over allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. The Browns instead are sticking with backup Jacoby Brissett as their temporary QB1. 

It was reported Monday that 49ers general manager John Lynch hadn't yet released Garoppolo even though his money was close to becoming guaranteed largely because Lynch didn't want Jimmy G to sign with the division-rival Seahawks, San Francisco's Week 2 opponents on Sept. 18. That's no longer something Lynch has to worry about in the final days of August.