San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

NFL insider believes Browns should pursue Jimmy Garoppolo following Deshaun Watson's suspension

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 8/18/22

On Thursday, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to suspend Cleveland Browns' quarterback Deshaun Watson for 11 games and fined him $5M for violations of the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy stemming from more than 20 allegations of sexual misconduct.

While the Watson stink isn't likely to subside anytime soon, the team can now focus on who will be under center for the first 11 games of the 2022 season.

In March, the Browns inked veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett long before Watson's punishment was handed down.

They've repeatedly said Brissett would be the starter if Watson were to miss games. On Thursday, head coach Kevin Stefanski reiterated the team's position, saying they will "stick to our plan moving forward" regarding the quarterback depth chart.

However, a 29-year-old journeyman with a 14-23 career record as a starter won't cut it if the Browns fancy themselves a contender this season.

ESPN NFL insider Mike Tannenbaum believes the Browns should be interested in acquiring former San Francisco 49ers starter Jimmy Garoppolo.

"Absolutely, I would do that."

ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum still believes the Cleveland Browns should pursue Jimmy Garoppolo, after Deshaun Watson received an 11-game suspension earlier today.

(via @SteinyGuru957)
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) August 18, 2022

With Trey Lance now the starter in San Francisco, Garoppolo and the 49ers are headed for an inevitable divorce. They've been unable to find a trade partner and have until Aug. 30 to release him before his salary counts for the 2022 season.

Earlier this week, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport claimed the Browns "never really seemed that interested" in Garoppolo, though that could be some gamesmanship on Cleveland's part.

The 49ers went 9-6 over Garoppolo's 15 regular-season starts in 2021. Garoppolo helped lead San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game, where they fell to the eventual Super Bowl Champions, the Los Angeles Rams.

Garoppolo posted a 68.3 completion percentage, throwing for 3,810 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. The 30-year-old threw for 535 yards, with four touchdowns and three interceptions in three playoff games.

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