“I just want to go to a place where they want to win.”

Jimmy Garoppolo expressed his desire to win football games in his end-of-season press conference. He looked determined to move on to the next destination that will give him the best opportunity. Let us evaluate possible trade destinations for Garoppolo.

Denver Broncos

Denver finished last in the AFC West. They have tried multiple options at quarterback, but none have solidified the position. The Broncos need a quarterback who will improve over time. The division is already stacked with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr, so if Broncos acquire Garoppolo, he still would be no better than the fourth best quarterback in the division. The Broncos missed the trick when they decided against drafting a quarterback in 2021 when both Justin Fields and Mac Jones were available.

If Broncos go after Garoppolo, they still will need to upgrade in the next few seasons to create a Super Bowl window.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin is one of the most successful coaches in the NFL, and the Steelers have weapons on offense and T.J. Watt on defense. And while Ben Roethlisberger descended faster than cryptocurrency, the Steelers crawled into the playoffs as the seventh seed. Yet again, the AFC North is stacked with talented quarterbacks. Joe Burrow has already carried his team to a Super Bowl, and a healthy Lamar Jackson will continue to fight for supremacy in the division. If Baker Mayfield continues to decline, Garoppolo might be the third best quarterback in the division.

If the Steelers need to win now, they need a better quarterback who can challenge the young quarterbacks in the stacked  AFC.

Carolina Panthers

Panthers started the season 3-0 with former Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, but the success was short-lived. In one of the more bizarre moves of the season, the Panthers signed Cam Newton and kept spiraling downward.

They finished with just five wins, but the retirements of Tom Brady and Sean Payton combined with Saints’ cap issues leave the NFC South wide open.

The Panthers strengthened their defense in 2021, which is a prerequisite for a Garoppolo-led team. The Atlanta Falcons’ way forward is unclear with Matt Ryan at the helm.

The Panthers cannot move forward without a serviceable quarterback. Trading away one of their defensive backs might convince the 49ers to trade.

Houston Texans

The Texans got rid of every pro bowler on their roster as fast as they could. They can build more draft capital if Deshaun Watson gets past his legal battles. Davis Mills has shown promise as a starter, and the Texans finished the season with encouraging performances.

The price tag for Garoppolo will keep the Texans from trading for him as the rebuilding process takes priority. Garoppolo had a forgettable game against the Texans divisional rivals, the Titans, which is alarming.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are a mess with allegations made by former head coach Brian Flores. They turned around their disastrous start to their campaign to finish 9-8, barely missing the playoffs. Tua Tagovailoa is highly suspect as a quarterback, but it isn’t easy to imagine what kind of a value Garoppolo could bring to the Dolphins. The 49ers won 10 games this past season, and were led by their defensive unit. The AFC North is another division where young quarterbacks are dominating. Justin Herbert’s rise negatively affected Tagovailoa as he was the higher draft pick.

Aaron Rodgers might be an option in the coming months, so the Dolphins do not have a dire need to pursue Garoppolo.

Washington Commanders

Taylor Heinicke is not the future for Commanders. They just rebranded themselves and need a quarterback. The NFC East is probably the weakest division in football for now, although that could change now that Tom Brady has retired and Rodgers could leave Green Bay.

The Commanders sure can use Garoppolo combined with a strong defense. If Chase Young comes back fully recovered in 2022, the Commanders can put together a solid team alongside Garoppolo to push for a playoff berth.

New Orleans Saints

Garoppolo would be an ideal replacement for Taysom Hill, but the Saints have to figure out how to fix their salary cap first. Plus, they still are on the hunt for Sean Payton’s replacement.

A possible Garoppolo trade will depend on how the new coach wants to rebuild the team.

New York Giants

Brian Daboll is the newly hired head coach. Daniel Jones might have one more chance with the new head coach, or they will draft a quarterback. If Daboll wants to fix his footing early, Garoppolo can help him.

Garoppolo would be the bridge quarterback until Daboll finds the longterm solution.