What does Baker Mayfield trade mean for Jimmy Garoppolo?

One of the remaining quarterback dominoes has fallen, as the Cleveland Browns have traded quarterback Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers for a 2024 5th round pick. Mayfield in Carolina leaves just the 49ers Jimmy Garoppolo as the last true starting caliber quarterback available for an NFL team this season.

Garoppolo hasn’t been mentioned much in trade rumors this offseason due to a shoulder injury that he’s been recovering from. At this point his trade market isn’t going to be jumping by the time he is ready, but there are still some possibilities.

The Seattle Seahawks, despite being in the same division, may not want to go into the 2022 season with Drew Lock or Geno Smith as their starting quarterback, but the team that could be in the most need might be the Cleveland Browns. The Browns went all in on acquiring DeShaun Watson, which made Mayfield obsolete in Cleveland, but there is a real chance that Watson ends up suspended for most, if not all, of the 2022 season. If that ends up being the case, the Browns would need to go into the season with Jacoby Brissett as their starter. Brissett is fine in a spot starting role, but a full season at the helm will more than likely lead to a lost season.