San Francisco 49ers: Creating the ideal starting lineup for 2018
By Peter Panacy
Quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo
Well, duh.
We could spend hours talking all the Jimmy Garoppolo hype. But you’ve heard it before. You know the difference he made for the 49ers offense over the final five games of 2017.
But if you need a refresher, there’s this from Niner Noise’s Chris Wilson:
#49ers with Garoppolo led the #NFL in points-per-drive, even though they had the highest FG-to-TD rate in the league. How? The Niners scored on an outlandish 62% of Garoppolo's drives. #GoNiners #49wz pic.twitter.com/jkZz4TD2tK
— Chris Wilson (@cgawilson) January 28, 2018
San Francisco didn’t just make Garoppolo the league’s highest-paid player based solely on market value. Yes, all that’s true. But it’s also because the Niners believe Garoppolo can reach that level of franchise elite.
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Based on the sample size, he should be able to do so.
With Garoppolo under center, the 49ers offense looks more than just capable. Tack on some offensive additions and a full year jelling together under Kyle Shanahan, it could reach potent levels in 2018.
Next: NFL Draft or free agency? How the 49ers address their 2018 needs
And all that, plus a strong starting lineup, puts the Niners into a serious playoff push this season.