Arik Armstead on Jimmy Garoppolo: ‘He’s a phenomenal quarterback’

Jimmy Garoppolo received more endorsements despite a weird offseason, as Arik Armstead sang the quarterback’s praises on The Jim Rome Show.

In terms of money, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has to be feeling pretty good. He’s made a lot of cash over his pro career, particularly with the Niners.

In terms of job security and being wanted, though, Garoppolo might not feel so sure.

The Niners have tried to move on from Jimmy G this offseason, opening the way for second-year quarterback Trey Lance to take over full-time duties under center. But any trade market for Garoppolo’s services hasn’t materialized, perhaps because of a sizable $25.5 million post-trade value he’d initially command or due to offseason shoulder surgery that’s preventing him from throwing a football until later this summer.

While knowing a transition is inevitable, Garoppolo has handled the situation about as well as one could have asked, making it as least awkward as possible.

And a good number of his still-current teammates nevertheless appreciate what he’s meant to the franchise.

Arik Armstead continues to shower Jimmy Garoppolo with praise

Appearing on The Jim Rome Show this week, defensive tackle Arik Armstead didn’t hesitate to brag about the veteran quarterback, citing the realities of Garoppolo coming in and solidifying a position that had been a massive void prior to San Francisco acquiring him via trade in 2017:

"I think we’ve been close to the top of the mountain sometimes. I feel that, obviously, when you don’t win the Super Bowl, then people start pointing fingers and questioning why and for reasons why. Sometimes it’s really not too many reasons. Not everyone can win each year. The quarterback position is obviously important, so [Garoppolo] becomes the No. 1 prime suspect of why we can’t get over the hump."

Garoppolo, for whatever his shortcomings, was nevertheless responsible for helping the 49ers get to a Super Bowl in the wake of the 2019 season and within one game last year, ultimately falling short in the NFC Championship game.

Armstead continued:

"Is it fair? I would say, “No, not fair.” I think Jimmy’s a great quarterback, and like I said, I was part of a lot of losing seasons before he joined our team, and he brought a sense of a new refound energy at that position to help us win. I think he’s obviously proven he’s a phenomenal quarterback and can win games."

While quarterback wins are something of a glossed-over stat, the Niners went 31-14 in regular-season games when Garoppolo started.

Arik Armstead still excited about post-Jimmy Garoppolo era with Trey Lance

It’s not uncommon for players to continue endorsing other teammates who are likely on the outs, and Armstead’s comments about Garoppolo echo what many other San Francisco players have said over the last few seasons.

However, the transition from Jimmy G to Lance remains inevitable, and Armstead is also just as excited to see how that pans out, describing what makes the second-year signal-caller so intriguing and promising:

"He has an extremely high ceiling and an amazing skill set to be successful. I think he goes about things the right way, and I think when you have that combination, it usually turns into a pretty exciting player."

Read More: Jimmy Garoppolo missing minicamp is another endorsement for Trey Lance

Yet Armstead knows the No. 3 overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft can’t do it alone:

"I’m expecting great things from him. I’m excited to see what he’s going to do, but he’s not alone when he takes the field. Our team is very talented, and it’s not just “The Trey Lance Show.”He’s surrounded by a lot of talented, great players, and we’re all going to go out there and do what we can to help us win games. It’s not just going to be on his shoulders."

You can check out the entire interview with Armstead on The Jim Rome Show right here.