GETTY George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers checks on injured teammate Jimmy Garoppolo #10 after a play in the fourth quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on September 23rd, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri.
When you consider that the San Francisco 49ers went 13-3 and secured a trip to Super Bowl LIV, it’s easy to forget that the team’s quarterback wasn’t at 100 percent.
Jimmy Garoppolo’s regular season ended with 27 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 yards, playing all 16 games for the first time in his career but still nursing the torn ACL that he suffered during the 2018 season.
While the 28-year-old passer didn’t necessarily drop off in quality, it was apparent that the QB was a bit slower than he was before the injury, and that there was a slight bit of caution and safety when it came to his play for the 49ers.
However, after a tumultuous albeit long offseason, Garoppolo has been able to continue recovering completely, which fullback Kyle Juszczyk says will be a good sign for things to come in the 2020 season.
#49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk reports that Jimmy Garoppolo has been practicing WITHOUT a brace thus far.
— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) August 11, 2020
“If he’s not thinking about that knee,” Juszczyk said to media on Tuesday. “If it’s not even in his head, that’s going to be a huge advantage for him. When you don’t have to think about that stuff, you can just just go turn it loose.”
If 49ers fans think that Jimmy G was impressive in his first full season as a starter, it must be exciting to see what the quarterback can play like without any limitations.
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Garoppolo’s Injury and Play in 2019
As mentioned, Garoppolo was noticeably more centered in the pocket during the 2020 season, utilizing the protection of the San Francisco offensive line and not putting too much too chance when it comes to dodging oncoming pass-rushers.
That being said, Garoppolo was still sacked 36 times in the regular season, just over twice a game, which isn’t a ton, but one wonders if the number would’ve been less if the quarterback felt truly comfortable in his mobility.
With more time, work and confidence built over 2019 and this year’s offseason, Garoppolo ought to be a bit more elusive and a bit more eager to extend plays, similar to what 49ers fans saw in the flash of 2018, where Garoppolo ran eight times for 33 yards in three games.
Juszczyk’s Other Comments
Juszczyk also talked about the mood of the 49ers’ unusual training camp, but also honed in on running back Jerick McKinnon, which the fullback offered a lot of praise since seeing the running back join up in Santa Clara, California.
“Jet has looked phenomenal,” Juszczyk said. “The way how smooth he is, you’d never guess he’s had major injuries. I think he’s going to have a really good year.”
For anyone living under a rock, McKinnon has not played a single snap since signing for the 49ers back in 2018, as two untimely injuries have kept the former Minnesota Viking sidelined for both seasons.
However, McKinnon was a stick of dynamite while in Minnesota, and many still expect the running back to offer a lot despite his two seasons away.
If Juszczyk’s words are anything to go by, that still seems to be the case, and McKinnon will be expected to provide another dangerous option to lead back Raheem Mostert and backup Tevin Coleman.
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Evan Reier is a sportswriter covering the San Francisco 49ers for Heavy.com and local sports for the Montana Standard in Butte, Mont. Reach out to him on Twitter at @evanreier and join our 49ers community at Heavy on 49ers on Facebook.