KEY POINTS

  • Jimmy Garoppolo could be returning to the New Englan Patriots
  • Kyle Shanahan sees promise in Sam Darnold
  • Deshaun Watson is a target, but multiple NFL teams are in pursuit

The San Francisco 49ers have decisions to make, and one of them is likely to let go of Jimmy Garoppolo.

It is no secret that the future of the 29-year-old in San Francisco is in dire straits due to his health issues. Given that Deshaun Watson and Sam Darnold could be lured, a mix-up could be happening soon.

Before the Niners can ramp up their chase for either Watson or Darnold, they need to address the Garoppolo situation.

His name was included in a suggested four-team deal that involved Aaron Rodgers and Watson although nothing has gone down. Regardless, it is clear that Kyle Shanahan is exploring options and the consensus is that Garoppolo may be moving soon.

A team allegedly interested in taking in Garoppolo is his former team--the New England Patriots.

The Pats are also looking for quarterback answers, something they did not find in Cam Newton. Such was the suggestion of Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Watson is a wise choice if ever the 49ers are left looking for a play-caller. The 25-year-old is believed to be on the way out as he is pretty unhappy with what is going on over at the Houston Texans side.

The Texans insist that they have no plans of trading the three-time Pro Bowler, but things could change by the NFL Draft.

If not San Francisco, there are a couple of teams interested in taking in Watson. That includes the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets.

Sam Darnold New York Jets
Sam Darnold #14 of the New York Jets runs with the ball in the game against the Indianapolis Colts during the fourth quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 27, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Justin Casterline/Getty Images

What about Darnold? It appears Shanahan is intrigued by the 23-year-old player.

Darnold has not seen much action, and there is the growing belief that the Jets could be dealing him away and look for new help in the draft. A name that has been suggested is Justin Fields.

With so much to digest, the only thing clear here is that the 49ers are bound to do a shakeup. It all starts with the quarterback position, meaning Garoppolo is more than likely to end up calling the plays for a new team next NFL season.

The only question now is whether this will be with the Pats or some other team.

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