Jimmy Garoppolo has ‘strong’ chance to be starting QB in NFL again with one particular team

Jimmy Garoppolo could make an unexpected return to starting duties in 2026.

The veteran quarterback is viewed as a “strong option” to join the Cardinals this offseason, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 

The team has already shown interest, the NFL insider wrote, in exploring a reunion between Garoppolo and newly hired head coach Mike LaFleur — the quarterback’s offensive coordinator in Los Angeles over the last two seasons.

The pair are considered very close, with a league source telling Fowler that Garoppolo is “[LaFleur’s] guy.”

Former first overall pick Kyler Murray is expected to get moved ahead of the season, and while Jacoby Brissett impressed as Arizona’s starter down the stretch, it’s possible that LaFleur kicks off his coaching tenure by rolling with what — or who — he knows best. 

“LaFleur can create a clean path to restart his quarterback room by adding at least one veteran and drafting a QB,” wrote Fowler. “That makes [Kyler] Murray and [Jacoby] Brissett expendable.”

Garoppolo — a 34-year-old unrestricted free agent — has amassed plenty of first-string experience across his 12-year NFL career, but an everyday starting job would mark his first time in the role since 2022, his last year with the 49ers. 

That season, he threw for 2,437 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions across 10 starts.

One of the NFL’s most reliable backups, Garoppolo is expected to draw strong interest from around the league.

He could also return to the Rams and continue supporting MVP Matthew Stafford, or even slot in as Green Bay’s No. 2 in the likely event that Malik Willis departs in free agency.