Here is Peter King's thoughts from his column today:
11. JIMMY GAROPPOLO. The 49ers maintain privately they’ll keep Garoppolo, and for 2021, I believe them. This trade for the third pick in the draft is meant to enrich the quarterback position more than it is to dump Garoppolo. In fact, I’ll be very surprised if they move the oft-injured incumbent, because how can you count on a rookie to play at a high level five months after the draft? You can’t.
The Niners know they struck gold in 2019 in getting to the Super Bowl, and the pieces are in place for another run—if they stay healthy—in 2021. But in the three non-super Bowl seasons since the Lynch/Shanahan tenure began, the team is 6-10, 4-12 and 6-10. Not good enough. And a trade of Garoppolo would leave them too thin, again, at quarterback.
One more thing: I’m not very bullish on the Patriots making a move for Garoppolo this year. At all. When Bill Belichick worked under Bill Parcells with the Giants, I know he had to hear Parcells harp on availability being more important than ability, and I just can’t see Belichick making a big investment (in a pick and in a contract) in a guy who’s missed 23 games in the last three years due to injury. Plus, if New England gets a quarterback, somehow, high in this draft, they’d have salary-manageability and a young prospect, and the yearning for Garoppolo goes away. If the Patriots don’t get a quarterback this year, I could see them pursue Garoppolo on the cheap in 2022. We’ll see.