Rams' Jimmy Garoppolo Slated as Trade Candidate to Replace Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa

James Brizuela | Sep 24, 2024

Jul 31, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (11) talks with a member of the coaching staff during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams finally got their first win in Week 3, against their nemesis, the San Francisco 49ers. The wild comeback win was made possible by the coaching of Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford tranforming into the MVP-caliber signal caller the league knows him to be.

With Week 4 on the horizon, the Rams can now breathe a sigh of relief as they are set to get back two players who were suspended. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and offensive lineman Alaric Jackson will be eligible to play, which is good news considering the ridiculous amount of injuries L.A. has been dealing with.

Despite Garoppolo returning, he will still be playing second fiddle to Stafford. He could also find himself in the third-string role behind Stetson Bennet. Either way, Garoppolo is not likely to suit up this season.

That said, the former 49ers and Raiders quarterback has now been slated to be a trade candidate, popping up as a perfect replacement for the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins lost Tua Tagovailoa to another concussion, and his 2024 season along with his playing career is still in very much in question. Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson started in Week 3, but looked completely out of his depth.

Even worse is Thompson was hurt, and is now considered "day-to-day." That leaves the recently signed Tyler "Snoop" Huntley and longtime veteran Tim Boyle as the only healthy quarterbacks on the Dolphins roster.

Head coach Mike McDaniel revealed the team will explore quarterback options, and one such option could be Garoppolo.

Garoppolo has had plenty of experience running an offensive system from McDaniel, who previously served as the offensive coordinator for the 49ers in 2023. He was also the run game coordinator between the 2017 and 2020 seasons.

McDaniel and Garoppolo would likely be a better match than the current quarterbacks on the roster.

Bleacher Report put together a list of "needs" that each NFL squad needs right now, and Garoppolo is listed as the perfect trade candidate for the Dolphins. According to the list:

"Add Now: QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Los Angeles Rams (trade)

The Dolphins have placed Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve, so the soonest he can play is Week 8. That said, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that Tagovailoa is seeing concussion specialists and that there is no timeline for his return. Given his extensive history of concussions, that could mean any number of things.

In the meantime, the Dolphins are rolling with Skylar Thompson. It's a risky strategy given his limited experience and the Dolphins' opportunity to compete in the AFC East. Jimmy Garoppolo was just reinstated after serving a two-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. His experience running a Kyle Shanahan offense could be invaluable even if he just ends up being the backup."

Thompson is and was a risky endeavor and his inability to get the ball out quickly resulted in an injury that might have knocked him out of Week 4. Given the injuries and thin quarterback room the Dolphins are dealing with, Garoppolo might be the best option.

The Rams are also never opposed to acquiring trade capital, and they might be able to get something along a sixth or seventh-rounder for Garoppolo in a trade with the Dolphins.

Garoppolo might be the second string quarterback on the roster, but Bennet appears to be completely ready to handle a starting role if Stafford were to go down.

More Rams:

Can Rams Turn Season Around Following Massive Win over 49ers?