What To Do With Jimmy Garoppolo?
The 49ers had a very successful season considering their shaky start. Through nine weeks they had a disappointing record of 3-5. In the second half they turned it on, going 7-2 and sneaking into the playoffs. They upset the Cowboys and Packers and had the Rams up 10 points late in the game but couldn’t hang on. No one expected them to make it to the NFC Championship. The one question is, do the 49ers make it to the Superbowl with a different quarterback?
Why the 49ers should keep him
Jimmy Garoppolo has played five seasons with the Niners and has won a lot of big games with a record of 31-14. We have seen flashes of Jimmy looking really good and he has proven that he can lead this team to the playoffs and win games when it matters most. The Niners have also shown that they don’t need a big time Quarterback to run their offense. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan is elite at knowing his players strengths and weaknesses. Shanahan knows where Jimmy can shine and he doesn’t ask him to do anything outside of his comfort zone. Key players like Deebo Samuel and George Kittle have expressed how much Jimmy means to the team and that they want him to remain the Quarterback in the Bay. Lastly, rookie Trey Lance simply doesn’t look ready. He seemed overwhelmed at times and this team is in a position to win a Superbowl now, not in five years. If the 49ers give up Garoppolo they are taking a big risk in a young Quarterback who doesn’t have much room for error.
Why the 49ers shouldn’t keep him
Although he has won big games, was it really because of him? The 49ers have had an elite defense almost ever since he’s joined the team. For example, in 2019 in the NFC Championship game against the Packers, Garoppolo went 6-8 for seventy seven yards. He threw eight passes the entire game. This shows that he basically snapped the ball and handed it off nearly every play. In the Superbowl against the Chiefs when he had a chance to lead a game winning drive, he folded under pressure. The Niners have been so close on numerous occasions and just can’t get over the hump. At a certain point something has to change and it very well could be time for the Niners to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo.
This is not an easy decision for general manager John Lynch. If Lance isn’t ready, the team can’t afford to throw him into a starting job. The Niners know what they’re going to get from Jimmy and they can win with him. Does the team play it safe and keep Garoppolo or do they have enough confidence in Trey Lance?