Texans Expected To Land This Former NFC Champion At Quarterback
The Houston Texans may have found their answer at quarterback. At least, that is what a recent CBS sports report indicates with the organization expected to make a “big push” to sign pending free agent and disgruntled 49ers quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, and play him in 2023.
Jimmy G To The Texans Makes Perfect Sense
Jimmy Garoppolo’s career has been one of the more fascinating journeys of any player in recent memory. Drafted by the Patriots, Garoppolo spent the first three years of his career backing up Tom Brady (aka the greatest quarterback of all time). After a few successful starts, the 49ers had enough faith to make a trade for him, and after a surprising string of victories to close out the 2017 season he earned himself a massive contract extension. In 2019, Garoppolo’s rise to stardom in the Bay Area culminated in a Super Bowl appearance.
However, it was in this Super Bowl that the narrative around Jimmy G began to change as San Francisco blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead, with many blaming Garoppolo’s poor play late in the game. Additionally, many categorized the seasoned QB as a “game manager” and “product of the system” as he lacked many unique traits or impressive athletic ability. Simply put, Garoppolo was nothing special, yet somehow always found a way to win. Soon, the 49ers appeared to move on from Garoppolo in favor of a more dynamic, modern player, drafting quarterback Trey Lance third overall in 2020. At this point, Jimmy G’s relationship with the Niners quickly soured and a departure was imminent.
The Texans have been linked to the 49ers signal-caller ever since Nick Caserio took over as General Manager two years ago. Caserio likely played a large role in drafting Garoppolo and got to watch him develop firsthand during their time spent together in New England. Now, with Houston hiring Demeco Ryans as head coach, and consequently stealing a large portion of San Francisco’s offensive staff (most notably hiring 49ers passing game coordinated Bobby Slowik as their new offensive coordinator) a Jimmy G signing seems almost inevitable.
He’s a veteran who continues to prove his resilience and ability to still play (throwing for 2,400 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions in 10 starts in 2022). Meanwhile, the Texans are in desperate need of any form of competence at the quarterback position with only Davis Mills on the roster.
Have The Texans Found Their Quarterback Of The Future?
The answer to that question appears to be a resounding no. Assuming the Texans sign Garoppolo, it is likely he will start in 2023. However, the report from CBS Sports also reveals that Houston would still plan to draft a quarterback “at some point” in the first round. Adding Garopplo to the roster seems to be more of an insurance policy than an answer.
Out of the top four quarterbacks in this draft, the two who need the most insurance are Anthony Richardson and Will Levis. Both have the intangibles to be phenomenal players but have not shown as much proven experience in putting their game together in comparison to Bryce Young and CJ Stroud. So, could the Texans be looking to Garoppolo as their one-year starter while Richardson and Levis sit for a year? It is very possible, especially with Anthony Richardson skyrocketing up draft boards in recent weeks. However, Young and Stroud should not be ruled out either as it could also simply be Houston’s organizational philosophy to sit the rookie quarterback no matter who it ends up being.
Back to Garoppolo himself, he is a solid option for the Texans as a bridge quarterback. As previously mentioned, the veteran QB still continues to make the most of his opportunities and find ways to win. With the same system moving with him to Houston, there is a real possibility of Jimmy G finding success, even if it is short-lived. Now, with at least some security at the quarterback position, Nick Caserio is free to use resources to sure up the rest of the roster. And, no matter who the Texans draft this year (which still looks like the most likely scenario for a long-term solution at QB), the pressure is immediately alleviated.
Overall, if this move ends up happening, as long as it isn’t a massive overpay, Texans fans should keep calm and trust the process.