Jimmy Garoppolo might find himself back in the ranks of NFL starting quarterbacks in 2026.
Garoppolo is believed to be a “strong option” for the Arizona Cardinals, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. New Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur was Garoppolo’s offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams for the last two seasons, and the two are close. One league source even told Fowler that Garoppolo is “(LaFleur’s) guy.”
Garoppolo is expected to have options. He could return to the Rams as a backup quarterback, and might also draw interest from the Green Bay Packers as a backup if Malik Willis leaves as expected.
While Garoppolo has plenty of history as a starter, he has not actually been a full-time first-string quarterback since 2022, his last season with the San Francisco 49ers. He threw for 2,437 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in ten starts.
The Cardinals are expected to move on from Kyler Murray before the start of 2026. They could theoretically keep Jacoby Brissett around for another season, but LaFleur might have more comfort with and trust in Garoppolo given their shared history.
