49ers training camp: Jimmy Garoppolo looking smooth, poised

The 49ers are going to need their quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, to live up to expectations this season, and those results are showing up in training camp.

So far, so good for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in training camp.

While this year’s camp sessions are much more difficult to monitor, given the global pandemic, it’s been positive to see Jimmy G in the post-practice reports for all the right reasons. Typically, defenses in camp start off hotter than offenses, especially in a team like the Niners’ case where the offensive system under head coach Kyle Shanahan is notoriously complex.

But while there have been some hiccups on that side of the ball, Garoppolo’s efforts have been more than just solid.

On the first day of on-field workouts, Garoppolo completed six of eight passing attempts, which is a good sign early on. The next day, according to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn, the quarterback went 10-of-14 and needled a 50-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk for a touchdown.

Deep passes were one area in which many thought Jimmy G would need to improve heading into 2020, likely stemming from that infamous overthrow to then-Niners wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in Super Bowl LIV.

So far, so good there, too.

“Yeah, I’m always working on it,” Garoppolo told reporters when asked about his deep-ball skills. “I like where I’m at with it. I think we’ve got guys who are able to run those deeper routes, post goes, things like that. As long as I can get it out there for them, we’ll be in a good spot. It’s always been one of those things that, it is what it is. I think we’ve got the guys to do it this year.”

49ers eyeing a connection between Jimmy Garoppolo, Brandon Aiyuk?

One of the promising things emanating from Garoppolo’s efforts at camp has been the budding chemistry built with Aiyuk, who’ll be under a lot of pressure to perform early with second-year wide receiver Deebo Samuel still sidelined with a foot injury.

Fortunately, Aiyuk has also been one of the 49ers’ bigger standouts in camp, surely making Jimmy G’s life much easier during the opening phases of practice.

“It’s a real natural instinct, just running routes for him,” Garoppolo said of Aiyuk. “It’s really cool to throw routes to a guy like that. He sees the field very similar to a quarterback and it makes my job very easy.”

Wide receiver is largely being viewed as the biggest offensive question mark for San Francisco in camp, which explains why a number of other players — Tavon Austin, J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown — have all been signed to supplement the depth. What’s good, however, is to see Garoppolo gain some momentum and fluidity with his receiving corps despite some of these question marks.

It shows poise and promise for San Francisco’s franchise signal-caller.

Hopefully, at least in the coming days and weeks leading up to the regular season, Garoppolo’s rapport and efforts will continue to develop, and any questions about whether or not he can complete those clutch passes will wane.