Getty Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers.
Jimmy Garoppolo gave the 49ers a disappointing 2020 season, so now the franchise has been connected to every possible quarterback up for grabs.
After leading the 49ers to a conference championship in 2019, Garoppolo played just six games this season. He capped off 2020 completing 67.1 percent of his passes for 1,096 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
However, according to well-known NFL insider Adam Schefter, Jimmy G. is staying put at QB1.
Adam Schefter thinks Jimmy Garoppolo is #49ers QB☝️in 2021
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Kyle Shanahan and Schefter Are on the Same Page
Back in December head coach Kyle Shanahan opened up about Garoppolo’s future and his belief in him starting in 2021.
“You look into every avenue and you see if there’s something out there that can get you a ton better,” Shanahan said, per ESPN. “That’s the same answer for every position, but look at Jimmy, look what he’s done, look where he’s at financially. We better have a very good answer if you’re gonna find something better than that because Jimmy has shown in one year that he’s the guy who can take us to the Super Bowl, and I also think that Jimmy is going to get a lot better the more he plays.”
Garoppolo has led the Niners 22-8 in regular-season games and without him, they’re 7-26.
The 49ers Made Moves for Matthew Stafford
Despite what analysts and the Niners coaches are saying, the franchise did look to upgrade when Matthew Stafford was on the table.
Forbes’ Vincent Frank revealed what exactly the 49ers offered the Lions to get Stafford on the team.
“49ers offered 2 second-round picks and 2 third rounds picks. From what I know,” Frank tweeted.
And it’s also worth noting, the Niners are not locked into Garoppolo’s contract and could get, very easily, get away with trading him if they wanted to. Come next season, he will account for $26.9 million against the cap, which ranks the 11th highest amongst the NFL. By breaking his five-year deal early, the 49ers could actually save some money but money is not the issue for Shanahan to let Garoppolo go.
“That’s just how much they cost,” Shanahan said via ESPN. “So, it’s not like it’s something ridiculous or anything like that. We can work all that out. And, not to mention, look at Jimmy’s record when he’s been here. Jimmy, you can win with. He’s proven that. He’s proven he’s a starting quarterback in this league.”
Garoppolo came to the Bay Area in 2017 following a mid-season trade with the Patriots and led the 49ers, who were 1-10, to five-straight wins to end the season. And during his first season as the team’s starter in 2019, the 49ers went to the Super Bowl.
Schefter is making his prediction because he is well aware the Niners won’t find someone better to replace Jimmy Garoppolo, at least this season. And while Deshaun Watson would be a lovely upgrade, he would cost the Niners too much in the end that it wouldn’t balance out evenly.
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49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo Projected to Start in 2021