49ers free agency: 5 takeaways after opening moves in 2021

No. 1: 49ers aren’t sold on Jimmy Garoppolo beyond 2021

Yes, the 49ers could make a bold move and use their first pick in the NFL Draft on a quarterback while still remaining committed to their starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, in 2021.

While John Lynch has repeated the team’s commitment to Jimmy G this season, speculating what happens a year from now is a much different story.

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For starters, the free-spending Niners haven’t restructured or extended Garoppolo’s current contract, which would free up sizable chunks of cap space to absorb many of the cap hits they’ll take this season and next. Garoppolo is still poised to earn $26.4 million this season, per Over the Cap, and $27 million in 2022.

Nearly all of San Francisco’s long-term contracts, including those for Trent Williams and Kyle Juszczyk, have relatively light cap hits for 2021. But those deals start to get expensive in 2022, and the 49ers are going to see tight end George Kittle’s contract increase dramatically along with a likely market-resetting deal for All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, too.

While it’s still too early to fully assess, OTC lists the Niners having $26.4 million against what’s expected to be an increased salary cap in 2022.

That might not be a lot when factoring in Warner’s extension, though.

Moving Garoppolo in 2022 could free up $25.6 million, meaning the same conversations fans had about his future this offseason aren’t going away anytime soon.

Especially considering no restructure or extension has taken place.