Getty Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers season comes to an end next Sunday and, once again, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo most likely won’t be taking any snaps. This leaves fans pondering what’s to come next season for their starting QB.
According to head coach Kyle Shanahan, he plans to keep Jimmy G. around come 2021.
“Yes, I do believe Jimmy is going to be our quarterback next year,” Shanahan said, per ESPN.
While Shanahan wants to keep Jimmy G. around, he still knows he can’t make any promises when putting “the best team together year in and year out,” so they will still look at their options.
Jimmy G’s Contract Is Breakable
Everyone always questions a player’s contract and what would happen to the team’s salary cap if they were to move on from a player.
Well, first things first, the Niners are not locked into Jimmy G and could get away with trading him if they wanted to. Next season, Garoppolo will count for $26.9 million against the cap, which ranks the 11th highest among the league.
The 49ers could actually save some money by breaking Garoppolo’s five-year deal, but money is not an issue for Shanahan.
“That’s just how much they cost,” Shanahan said. “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.”
When Garoppolo came to the Bay Area in 2017, following a mid-season trade with the Patriots, he led the 49ers, who were 1-10, to five-straight wins to end the season. Also, in his first season as a full-time starter in 2019, the Niners made a Super Bowl appearance.
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It Would Take A “Very Good Answer” To Move On
This upcoming draft is set to be stacked with top young quarterbacks. Also, some veteran, but future hall of fame QBs, such as Matt Ryan and Tom Brady could be up for grabs this offseason.
Either way, the 49ers will have plenty of options to consider.
But, Shanahan went into depth and made it clear that the only way the Niners move on is if they find a very compelling upgrade from Garoppolo, who has led the team 22-8 in regular-season games. And without him, the Niners are 7-26.
“You look into every avenue and you see if there’s something out there that can get you a ton better,” Shanahan said. “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.”
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