San Francisco 49ers’ QB: Watson, Darnold and Garoppolo betting odds

The new year of the NFL league starts in just over a month, but the excitement is already here for the off season.

This year’s quarterback market is unprecedented, with several beginners starting in 2020 who will be able to wear a different uniform next season. Detroit Lions have already sent Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff and his picks. We can also see some more significant negotiations in the coming months, involving more defenders.

Deshaun Watson remains the best in the group. The 25-year-old has officially requested a switch from the Houston Texans, who are adamant that they won’t switch Watson anytime soon. Watson has a no-trade clause, so we can see a long standoff between the two parties.

The New York Jets and new coach Robert Saleh hold the second overall choice in this year’s NFL Draft and could pass the third overall choice of 2018, Sam Darnold.

San Francisco seems content to move on with current incumbent Jimmy Garoppolo, but has been linked to just about every quarterback on the market since the end of the season.

The bet lines where some QBs will fall in this offseason have the Niners listed as options.

Here’s where the oddsmakers have the 49ers in the race for Watson (courtesy of Bovada):

Texans +200
PreDolphins and Jets +350
Panthers +400
49ers +500
Broncos +800
Raiders andPatriots +1400

To Darnold (courtesy of Draft Kings):

+150 Jets
Colts +400
Panthers and Texans +500
Broncos +1000
49ers and WFT +1100
Bears +1200
Saints and Steelers +1400

Bovada also has a chance where Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz will play in 2021.

Wilson – who expressed his discontent with the Seahawks’ ability to protect him on the field – is a long shot to move. Bovada considers his stay in Seattle to be the most likely outcome and San Francisco is listed at +2200.

Prescott has been at an impasse with the Dallas Cowboys over his contractual situation for more than a year. Bovada has it at -1000 to sign again with the Cowboys while the Niners reach +2000. 49ers are not listed among the teams that have the best chances of getting Wentz.

The most likely scenario is that Garoppolo will be the starter in 2021. BetMGM has chances available of where Jimmy G will play next season, and it’s no surprise to see San Francisco as the favorite:

49ers (-400)
Patriots (+450)
Vikings (+750)
Broncos (+800)
Bears (+800)
Colts (+1000)
Texans (+1100)

Let’s not forget that odds makers had 49ers as the favorites to land in Stafford and the Rams fell on the list before the deal:

It would take a lot of effort to get Watson out of Houston, while Darnold won’t make as much profit in any deal. Matt Maiocco of the NBC Bay Area wrote an interesting article on why no current player on the Niners’ list should be untouchable when it comes to getting a QB franchise.

Maiocco is well connected with the 49ers and says that even Nick Bosa, George Kittle or Fred Warner shouldn’t be off limits. Chances are that one of them would have to be included in some high draft choices to get a talent like Watson.

As of now, Garoppolo’s comeback is listed as the favorite for good reason. San Francisco will still be in a position to fight with all the top talent around it. We saw Jimmy G lead a healthy 13-3 team in 2019 and be seven minutes from winning the Super Bowl.

But if John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan decide that they are willing to try and meet the price requested by Watson, that should yield some interesting weeks.

What do you think would be a fair trade proposal to get Watson? Who would you be willing to part with Bosa, Kittle or Warner, if that meant Watson would be the 49ers’ QB in the next decade?