Jimmy Garoppolo: 3 reasons 49ers QB starts for all of 2021

The 49ers do want to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo and eventually to Trey Lance. But if doesn’t happen in 2021, here are reasons why.

Yes, the San Francisco 49ers want to move on from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo at some point, making the transition to the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, Trey Lance.

The only question is when.

If it’s sooner than many anticipate, it’s entirely likely the Niners dangle Garoppolo on the trade block, which opens up the window for a transaction between now and the NFL trade deadline projected to be on Nov. 2 of this year.

But if Lance needs the time to develop, as many believe he will, there’s an awfully good chance Garoppolo winds up playing out the entirety of 2021 as San Francisco’s starter.

Lance is promising, yes. Yet Garoppolo gives head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad the best opportunity to win games right now. That may change, and hopefully it will in the coming months. At the same time, the 49ers took a massive gamble by trading up for Lance, and they’ll want to ensure the best possible outcome can be generated over the long run.

If that means sitting Lance for all of 2021, so be it. They’re taking the long-game approach with Lance, which is fine. It’s also good news for Garoppolo in the meantime.

Yet there are concrete reasons why the Niners may want to keep Garoppolo as their starter for the rest of the year.

Let’s take a look at those, as we break down specifically which factors could lead to Jimmy G remaining in a San Francisco uniform for all of 2021.

No. 3: 49ers are already budgeting Jimmy Garoppolo’s cap hit for 2022

Even those who think Jimmy Garoppolo is a goner in 2022 might want to take a step back from that prediction.

According to The Athletic’s David Lombardi, the 49ers front office isn’t currently scrambling to offload Jimmy G’s hefty salary anytime soon:

Currently, according to Over the Cap, the Niners have $17.75 million in available cap space, which doesn’t include Trey Lance’s pending rookie contract and the team’s second- and third-overall picks, offensive guard Aaron Banks and running back Trey Sermon.

But the kicker is 2022 when San Francisco is projected to have $23.73 million but with a good deal of free agents and other players needed to be extended, such as All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner.

The short run of the story is this: The 49ers know they can clear $25.6 million in 2022 with only $1.4 million in dead money if Garoppolo is moved, but they aren’t automatically going to do that based on a premature hope Lance will secure the starting job.

Instead, they’re keeping their options open.

No. 2: Jimmy Garoppolo still has tangible traits above Trey Lance

Yes, Trey Lance has started just one game since 2019 and was only a full-time starter for one year before that at North Dakota State. And, yes. Jimmy Garoppolo cemented himself as a starter in San Francisco despite missing the bulk of 2018 and 2020 with injuries.

While Garoppolo may never have the arm strength and mobility skills Lance possesses, there are other areas in which the veteran is far superior than the rookie.

Case in point, Jimmy G’s quick release, which can be observed in the OTA video below:

Again, these are mere warmup drills, and it’s premature to think this will play a key factor in determining either quarterback’s immediate future.

Then again, it’s important to have that kind of ability, especially facing top-level NFL pass-rushers.

Related Story: Trey Lance won’t beat out Jimmy Garoppolo right away

One of the things to quantify here is the fact Lance has attempted only 318 pass attempts over his collegiate career, while Jimmy G attempted nearly that many in his 2019 regular-season campaign alone.

So it’s likely the 49ers will want to work with Lance to improve his technique a bit, cutting down on that time to throw and his release efforts, which helps ensure Garoppolo sticks around a bit longer that some may anticipate.

No. 1: Jimmy Garoppolo trade market could be cold for a while

The Niners could simply release Jimmy Garoppolo and net a substantial chunk of cap savings in the process, but the ideal scenario would be for them to maximize the value and get something in return via a trade.

San Francisco 49ers

This would have been a bigger possibility before the 2021 draft, though, when quarterback-needy teams like the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots and even the Denver Broncos could have called with a halfway-decent trade offer.

Yet the Bears traded up for Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields in the draft, while the Patriots netted Alabama’s Mac Jones. Even the Broncos traded for veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater to compete with the incumbent quarterback, Drew Lock, suggesting they’re not overly eager to put up substantial compensation for someone like Garoppolo.

The bigger picture is the NFL quarterbacking landscape is much more settled now than it was just ahead of the draft, meaning it would be a buyer’s market on Garoppolo, and that won’t help San Francisco maximize that value at all.

Things change, however.

In 2016, when Bridgewater suffered a devastating knee injury with the Minnesota Vikings, Sam Darnold was moved to Minnesota by the Philadelphia Eagles for a package including a first-round draft pick. Something like that could easily prompt a change in the market, potentially resulting in a Jimmy G trade.

But until it does, the idea is off the table.

Rather, the bigger likelihood is a full season playing itself out before we and the 49ers have an idea if there’s going to be a market for Garoppolo’s services.

And if there isn’t, don’t expect Jimmy G to go anywhere anytime soon.