Jimmy Garoppolo: Top 4 takeaways after 2021 49ers OTAs
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Jimmy Garoppolo appears to have bulked up
Injuries were the prime reason why the 49ers elected to make the eventual switch from Jimmy Garoppolo to Trey Lance, and there’s no overlooking just how devastating Jimmy G’s ACL tear in 2018 and ankle sprains in 2020 were to the team’s chances those seasons.
When images and videos first started stemming from Niners OTA practices, it wasn’t hard to notice how Garoppolo looked a bit bigger and bulked up.
Just take note from The Athletic’s David Lombardi below:
Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle together on the 49ers' practice field today ⬇️
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) May 20, 2021
It does look like Garoppolo has bulked up and added some muscle, presumably a part of his bid to become more durable this offseason: https://t.co/qG1Z6pDgdQ
Lombardi later confirmed Garoppolo added muscle during the offseason in an attempt to guard against further injury, which had been the No. 1 question mark about his reputation the last three-plus seasons.
Exactly how that translates over onto the field of play is anyone’s guess. But if it helps prevent another serious injury setback, it’s certainly for the better.
Garoppolo has to be thinking about the long game, too, understanding his health and performance this year could go a long way towards a new contract with whatever team ends up employing him in 2022 and beyond.