The 49ers are apparently willing to pay a price during the off-season to acquire a rugby quarterback.
And if the 49ers were serious about a deal to acquire Sam Darnold of the New York Jets, it would definitely cost a fortune.
There are no indications that the 49ers had a trade conversation with the Jets, but it’s easy to see Darnold’s allure.
He was the overall number 3 in the 2018 draft, and his value is low after three seasons in which he had little chance of being successful with a lack of organizational support and a horrible group of offensive players around him.
On top of that, Darnold is unlikely to have a future with the Jets.
The Jets own the overall number 2 in the draft. The logical game is that the Robert Saleh era begins with Zach Wilson being considered the franchise quarterback of the team.
Meanwhile, the 49ers are unlikely to move on from Garoppolo unless they believe they can get an immediate upgrade.
There are just too many strangers with Darnold, who can hardly be considered more than a certainty than Garoppolo.
At least with Garoppolo, the only unknown is whether he can stay healthy and available year after year.
The one time Garoppolo made it through a full season, the 49ers advanced to the Super Bowl.
The cost of Darnold is not so much the dollars – at least not in 2021, but the price it can cost to get him.
He is not worth the overall number 12. And the 49ers’ second round at No. 43 overall also looks like a steep price.
Darnold has an affordable price of $ 4.77 million in salary and bonuses for the 2021 season. This is more than reasonable for a backup.
But where things get tough, it goes beyond this season. A fifth-year option for Darnold is due to be decided in early May.
The fifth-year option offers Darnold a full guaranteed salary of $ 18.858 million for the 2022 season. Based on his first three seasons, there is no way to secure the smart game for any team to secure Darnold that money.
Therefore, he is virtually assured that in 2022 he will be a free agent.
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Garoppolo has two more years on his contract with salaries and bonuses of $ 25.5 million in 2021 and $ 25.6 million in 2022.
Again, all indications are that Garoppolo is the 49ers’ starting quarterback this year.
But it is also clear that the heat is on him to stay on the field and deliver. For the 49ers, it’s not so much about offering Garoppolo competition, but about having a backup that can win many games if the starter is not available for long.
Is the cost of an insurance policy worth expecting the 49ers to draw up an immediate starter that would be under contract for a controlled cost for four years?
After all, the 49ers may have to pick a second round for a player under contract for just one season and who – if things go according to plan – will never step on the field during the one year.
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