Jimmy Garoppolo may not be with the 49ers beyond the 2021 season — if he makes it that far — but he will not be asked to take a pay cut or restructure his contract. GM John Lynch was clear on that point, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes.
Of course, Lynch just selected Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. While we have known ever since the 49ers traded a king’s ransom to the Dolphins to acquire that pick that they would use it on a QB, San Francisco brass has also implied that Garoppolo would be the starter at least to open the season while the rookie passer gets his feet wet at the professional level.
Branch, however, suggests that Lance could take the reins right away, meaning that the 49ers would be paying their backup a $24.2MM salary, to go along with a $27MM cap charge. But Lynch and team ownership have no issue with that proposition.
“I think it’s a testament to the commitment of our ownership,” Lynch said. “When this process was going on, that’s a question that we asked. We arrived at a point where that was our preference: to draft a quarterback and keep Jimmy, provided that someone didn’t come and just completely blow us way (with a trade offer). And they gave us that commitment. Yeah, we could do that. And we’re happy to have that situation right now. Because we believe it’s a very strong one.”
The 49ers do have the cap space to make it work. As Branch notes, San Francisco currently has $18.2MM of room, and while the club still has to sign its eight-man draft class and work out an extension for LB Fred Warner, that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
I knew a guy named Jimmy in Elementary School. His latest name was Johnson. Not much of an athlete but one day really surprised us on the basketball court when he seemingly couldn’t miss a shot. He was a good friend of mine.
I knew a guy named Jessau Modesto in high school. He often made asinine comments. Them one day he wrote this.
My name is Jimmy Johnson I went to high school in Modesto California one day on the basketball court I couldn’t miss a shot my friend Jessau was there he can vouch for me
Jimmy? Is that really you?
We’re we friends? Not recognizing
Your name? Did you go to Israel for the tour?
I still would expect Jimmy to start the year as the starter, take the pressure off of Lance and let him ease into the starting role by mid to late season
I’m still surprised BB didn’t trade for Jimmy G. How much longer is he really going to coach? Why draft a young QB now when you have some vets who want to win again now. I thought the Pats would have more of a sense of urgency.
There’s a lot of value in drafting an Alabama kid and having him on a rookie contract.
It is no certainty that Lance will become an effective NFL starter given his lack of experience at performing against high-level competition, thus it makes no sense to speculate about Garappolo’s future with the 49’ers as he might turn out to be their only option.