In an 11th-hour twist, the 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo are planning to continue their partnership. The parties agreed to a restructured contract that is expected to keep the two-time NFC championship game starter in San Francisco, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
This one-year deal includes a no-trade clause and a no-franchise tag clause, Schefter adds. Garoppolo will remain a 2023 free agent-to-be. This adjusted deal will be worth $6.5MM in fully guaranteed base salary, per Schefter, who adds playing-time bonuses could add another $9MM to the accord (Twitter link). The 49ers, who had given Garoppolo’s camp permission to negotiate his contract with other teams months ago, had been working with the veteran passer since last week on this pay cut, Schefter tweets.
Monday’s compromise will both provide the 49ers with Trey Lance insurance and ensure Garoppolo collects a decent 2022 sum. While this is nowhere close to the $24.2MM base salary his 2018 extension was set to pay him, keeping that number on the books was never in the cards for the 49ers. A Garoppolo release may well have led to a payment shy of this $6.5MM salary as well. This new contract also includes $500K in roster bonuses. In total, Garoppolo’s 2022 compensation package maxes out at $15.45MM, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. The path toward cashing in all those incentives is likely tied to Lance.
For the 49ers’ payroll, Garoppolo will now come in well below the $26.95MM cap figure to which he was previously tethered. The ninth-year quarterback is now expected to count around $8.5MM on San Francisco’s cap sheet, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This is an interesting solution for the 49ers, who have moved up beyond $20MM in cap space after entering Monday ranking 32nd in available funds.
Garoppolo’s base salary would have become guaranteed just before the 49ers’ Week 1 game. The 49ers were never going to allow that guarantee to vest, but they had tried to trade their four-plus-year starter throughout the offseason. Garoppolo was most closely linked to the Seahawks (in the event of a 49ers release) and Browns as a Deshaun Watson stopgap. Cleveland is sticking with Jacoby Brissett, while Seattle’s Geno Smith path is for real now. It is possible those teams could circle back to Garoppolo before the trade deadline, but he would now have to approve any trade. Garoppolo had a no-trade clause last year, but his contract did not previously include one for 2022.
The fifth-year 49ers passer underwent shoulder surgery in March, sidetracking his trade market, but is believed to have recovered. Garoppolo, 30, has been throwing for weeks now. He can now resume practicing with his teammates. How this affects Lance, whom the 49ers have repeatedly endorsed as their 2022 starter, will be fascinating. Lance’s QB1 predecessor had interest in being released, per Chris Mortensen, but circled back to San Francisco due to this being his best chance for success (Twitter link).
Although the 49ers traded two future first-round picks to move up for the North Dakota State prospect last year, Lance has thrown fewer than 400 passes in games since his senior year of high school. After dominating for the Division I-FCS superpower as a redshirt freshman in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic nixed the 2020 FCS season. Lance played in the Bison’s one 2020 game and declared for the 2021 draft. Garoppolo suffered a calf injury during the first half of last season, bringing in Lance for a spot start, but Kyle Shanahan reinstalled his veteran starter. Lance did not threaten Garoppolo’s status the rest of the way, and the 49ers rallied to their second NFC title game in three seasons. Lance spent his rookie year battling a finger injury, but he has recovered and made strides during his second pro offseason.
While Garoppolo has been frequently maligned during his Bay Area tenure, he is well-liked by his teammates and has posted top-15 QBR figures in his past two healthy seasons (2019, 2021). Last season was not exactly a healthy Garoppolo season; the former Patriots backup ran into a thumb issue late in the season but played through it. Lance was acquired to be an upgrade, however, and likely will remain the team’s preferred 2022 option. But instead of Garoppolo trying his hand with the Seahawks or Browns, he will remain a 49er for the time being.
This could also buy the 49ers more time with Garoppolo, with his salary more manageable as a trade chip now. If Lance impresses early, Garoppolo would reside as a trade attraction for a team in need. An early-season injury affecting a team that does not currently possess a QB need would increase San Francisco’s bargaining position as well. The no-trade clause will also protect Garoppolo from being sent to an undesired location, helping explain the decision to dramatically reduce his salary.
What the French, toast??
No one wants him at the 9ers asking price and his current contract. Only team that thought about it was Seattle, but they’re tanking on purpose for a 2023 QB. Browns don’t wanna give up decent draft capital for a rental before the sex pred comes back.
It’s also very smart on the niner’s part. They may see that Lance will need another year before he’s really ready to take the reins. Garappolo is insurance against an implosion. No, he’s not Brady, but he knows Shanahan’s offense backwards and forwards and jeez, they got to a Super Bowl with him.
I don’t think lance will ever be ready but at some point the 9ers will have to figure that one out on their own.
If you have the most inexperienced starting QB, should you really have one of the most inexperienced backups as well?
It’s still hard to believe the Seahawks are actually going into the season with Geno Smith and Drew Lock as their QB’s.
From Russell Wilson to early front runner for first overall pick in ‘23.
Draft picks
Not a bad move. Having a shot at Stroud or Young could accelerate their rebuild.
Stroud sucks tbh another lame duck buckeye qb with wheels that can’t read a pro defense. Yawn, young and Williams are the real prizes
Someone has to come in last
Good move by the Niners. Which, as a Seahawks fan, I don’t like.
I don’t care for the 9ers and Jimmy G is OK. I thought them keeping him tied up until the day before the season was a chump move. I understand them not wanting him in Seattle. Most people I talked to didn’t want him here either.
They should have gone to Cleveland and asked what will it take for you to trade for him. They were taking a hit either way. He would have had to redo his contract that probably was the easy part.
I didn’t watch but how did Lance do in preseason? Was this a we need more time or just a way to keep him from Seattle. I would find it hard to believe if he was cut he would pick Cleveland over Seattle. I might be wrong but he has to see the clown show there.
I agree. This is very prudent by the 9ers and probably very ungrateful from the perspective of Garappolo. The 9ers made the right move for them in keeping a decent starter to become an excellent backup and also keeping him from a division rival. It is, however, in my mind a less than graceful way to reward someone who has done nothing but be a great teammate and bailed San Fran out last year.
I guess the faith in Lance is starting to fall off
No… not letting go of an asset at a better price makes a ton of sense. Rather have him around then give him away
ha ha ha ha …. not even close …..
Keeping Jimmy off oposing sidelines was the goal!
Great move Niners and thanks for being a team player
Jimmy!
Exactly trey lance is a bum. Niners front office fumbled the bag and is now stuck with no picks and 2 garbage qbs. Rams win division with ease
Jump on board and embrace the “Gold Rush” team is well run! GM and head coach are putting together a TEAM. Go Niners!
I’m not sure I’d say this makes them well run or not. It’s basically Jimmy G taking what he can get. Nobody was going to pay him that amount of money. I think he knows that he’ll probably be the starting quarterback soon and be able to meet those incentives. The article says that there is a no trade clause but later says that his salary makes him a better trade chip. Which is it?
They can still trade him if he waives the clause. It’s just there so he can decide where he wants to go
Those trade clauses are sometimes waived by the player.
*no* trade clauses
So this means if someone wants to trade for him Garrapolo can demand more money and if the team agrees San Fran will prob pay most his salary and the new team will pay Garrapolo on top of it to waive it.. meanwhile it keeps him in play for a trade after the 30th instead of cutting him before contract is guaranteed. Smart by San Fran unless they don’t get atleast a future 2nd for him
No, this situation doesn’t seem awkward at all, why do you ask?
It’s like when you’re 6 years old and your Mom tells you that the medicine has to taste horrible in order to work…lol.
Hardly shocked seeing as this was probably the best course of action for both sides.
Guess he shouldn’t need surgery this coming offseason!
I guess the most important part of this is that Garoppolo is basically saying, “I’ll sit for a year on a potential winning team, making the most money for a back-up QB in the league, and then I’ll be a FA next year and get a chance that more teams might be interested in using me as a starter.”
Not the worst idea in the world.
“making the most money for a back-up QB in the league”
He’s not. Sam Darnold and Tyrod Taylor are making more, though it’s entirely possible both of them end up starting. Though Jimmy G could, too.
That return seems…light for Jimmy G. Even with most teams fully set at QB, I can’t believe he wouldn’t be able to get more than $6.5 million elsewhere. Tyrod Taylor is making $8 million as a backup. Colt McCoy is making $6 million. Teddy Bridgewater is making $6.5 million.
It must be a little about the money and a little about San Francisco being the best place for him to build his value heading into next season’s free agency.
“… no-franchise tag clause …”
well done Jimmy
Jimmy G led them to A SB. His numbers are top tier. Why the controversy. Is Lance that good?
Lmao dope name, I laughed when I saw it
Very smart move to have him on the team for the same amount he was gonna get being cut anyway. Jimmy had about a 6.5 million dead cap hit we would of had, releasing him. So to keep him as a backup / trade chip for the same amount is beautifully brilliant !
I’m sure he has a good reason to volunteer for this deal..I just don’t think I’d do it if it were me in that situation.
So there’s a “chance” he’d have to settle for less than the absolute minimum here if he forced their hand. Pretty good chance someone just didn’t want to give up draft capital in a trade, and were hoping they’d release him.
Given how both Lance and Garoppolo are oft-injured the 49ers need to be thinking about their 3rd QB.
I’ve asked a few times…is there any evidence that Lance is good beyond the sunk cost by Lynch?
I read an article on The Athletic by a guy who was doing his best PR work for the Niners and still the best he could come up with was “he didn’t get hurt in this preseason!!!”
Why are so many posters so clueless about what happened? It ain’t that complicated. 1) Niners tell JG he’ll be released, 2) he’ll make $4+ million, 3) niners tell him go ahead and start contacting interested parties, 4) interested parties were either a) not desirable for JG or b) if they were desirable weren’t offering too pay enough so 5) he figures he’ll talk to SF to stay in a top organization to get some guaranteed $, maybe make more thru incentives, and be able to choose a desirable destination should a trade opportunity arise. Thereby avoiding playing for a weak organization and thereby staying with a strong one. Jeez, maybe the niners end up actually getting a trade accomplished like they originally planned. Proving they DO KNOW what they’re doing. Oh, and they’ll have insurance should Lance get hurt. Lance will succeed, btw, for all you doubters.
If he were released, he would get to pick who he plays for. Nobody was willing to give up any picks for him so the idea of trading him was moot. I think SF isn’t completely sold on Lance and Jimmy G and a comp pick is more valuable. He’ll probably earn somewhere around 10 million because I think he’ll end up playing half the season
< niners tell him to go ahead and start contacting interested parties
Correct. I would guess that the best contract is what SF offered?
I definitely didn’t see this coming but it does make sense and I like it. He makes for a good back up I’m case Lance gets hurt and had proven he can win with this team. Good thing is the 49ers now have like 17 million in cap space so they can try and take on a bigger salaried OL in a trade if possible before the season starts or at the deadline and they can still trade Jimmy during the season if there’s an injury to a contending team if he approves it but if it’s a contending team I’m sure he wouldn’t have a problem with that if he’s not getting any playing time
Terrible move and another example of why Shanahan is the most over rated coach in the league. This just adds unnecessary added pressure to Lance, who will now be looking over his shoulder through the eventual growing pains. If the team struggles then fans will be clamoring to go back to Jimmy and could really derail Lance’s development. This is not going to end well for San Fran
First off, Shanahan isn’t the GM. Secondly, if having Jimmy G as the backup brings you pressure, then you’ve already don’t have enough confidence in your own abilities. Thirdly, it’s Shanahan’s job to win games and not worry about feelings
Sox, debergmontana, Montana young, smithkaepernick, Smith Mahomes,etcetera. They’re professionals. Way more mature than people like you give them credit for. You say “fans will be clamoring”. When front offices succumb to fan clamorings, bad things happen. Apparently you haven’t paid attention as this regards Niner management because they don’t care about clamorings. If Lance struggles, they will not knee jerk and play JG. A Lance injury is another story.
This is really rare. I think it shows a lot of character caliber on Jimmy G’s part to play clipboard in spite of the market. One could argue nobody wanted him, but most deals happen as in the game of QB musical chairs most QB’s will take whatever chair is last while the music’s still playing.
Jimmy decided to wait and see with the no trade/franchise. I think it’s a good move especially concerning his health.