Jimmy Garoppolo - Pro Football Rumors

This Date In Transactions History: Patriots Trade Jimmy Garoppolo To 49ers

October 31st, 2021 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Has it been four years already? On this date in 2017, the 49ers acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick.

The deal was a stunner on multiple levels, especially since New England hadn’t expressed in any interest in moving Garoppolo despite the presence of Tom Brady under center. Bill Belichick & Co. reportedly rejected multiple trade offers in exchange for Garoppolo before the draft, and instead dealt third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett to the Colts before the season began.

Some believed that the Patriots would use the franchise tag on Garoppolo in the spring of ’18 before trying to trade him. Instead, they dealt Brady’s heir apparent just before the deadline in a deal that raised eyebrows for many. Some wondered whether the Patriots could have gotten more, or if Belichick had truly explored every possible trade partner for Garoppolo. The Browns, for example, were keenly interested in Jimmy G, but Belichick reportedly wasn’t interested in helping his former employer.

Garoppolo offered limited NFL experience outside of two starts for New England in 2016 while Brady was serving a four-game suspension. Garoppolo played well in his time on the field, but he was injured early in his second start, so the regular season film on him was extremely limited. Still, Kyle Shanahan saw a future franchise QB in the youngster, and ownership was willing to work with him on a pricey long-term extension before he could walk in free agency.

For the Patriots, the deal signaled confidence in Brady’s vow to play for several more seasons, despite the fact that he was already 40 years old. Brady made good on his promise, though he’s now defying Father Time in Tampa Bay. Signing a backup to a top-tier, multi-year contract was never a real option and a one-year, top 5 QB salary was certainly not the Patriots’ style. There was no circumstance in which Jimmy G could have held the clipboard for Brady for another three years, but it’s fair to second guess the Patriots’ timing. Had they traded Garoppolo prior to the 2017 NFL Draft — and considered all suitors equally — they could have scored a much larger haul.

Now, Garoppolo could be on the verge of being dealt again — either this week or in the spring. The 49ers clearly prefer the long-term upside of Trey Lance, but Garoppolo’s performance against the Bears today can only serve to boost his trade value.

49ers “Would Guess” Jimmy Garoppolo Starts Next Week

October 25th, 2021 at 8:50am CST by Zachary Links

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan won’t guarantee much for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Following last night’s loss to the Colts, Shanahan told reporters that he “would guess” Garoppolo starts under center in Week 8.

“I would guess so,” Shanahan said (via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBCSportsBayArea.com). “I will watch this tape and see if guys are healthy, first of all, and know where our guys are at. It was good for Jimmy to get healthy enough to play in this game today.”

That probably has more to do with Lance’s knee sprain than anything. Garoppolo threw for just 181 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions and a lost fumble on Sunday. And, had it not been for Lance’s Week 5 injury, Garoppolo probably would have been holding the clipboard.

A calf injury sidelined for one game, but San Francisco’s bye week coupled with Lance’s injury put Garoppolo under center this week. Shanahan added that he didn’t see “a ton of bad decisions” from his one-time franchise QB, but it sounds like he’ll go back to Lance as soon as possible.

In five games this year, Jimmy G has completed 64.8% of his passes for 1,106 yards and six TDs against four interceptions. Lance, of course, was less-than-perfect in his Week 5 start, but the 49ers didn’t trade two future first-rounders to have him sit behind Garoppolo.

49ers To Start Jimmy Garoppolo In Week 7

October 22nd, 2021 at 3:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jimmy Garoppolo will return to a starting role for the 49ers this week. The fifth-year 49er is off the team’s injury report and good to go for Sunday night’s game against the Colts.

Trey Lance will not suit up due to the knee sprain he sustained in Week 5. San Francisco’s bye week allowed Garoppolo to recover in time to become the rare incumbent to recapture his job from a rookie-year first-rounder. Though these situations usually end with the younger talent taking over for good, Kyle Shanahan said Garoppolo would keep his job when healthy.

A high ankle sprain felled Garoppolo midway through last season, and he did not return. This year’s calf ailment proved to be milder, and Garoppolo will come back after missing just one game. The 30-year-old veteran — after being mentioned in trades during the offseason and viewed as a lame duck after the 49ers traded two future first-rounders for Lance — will have an interesting opportunity to submit a case he remains the best option for the 49ers to reach their 2021 ceiling.

Garoppolo is unlikely to have his top offensive lineman available, however. The 49ers declared Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams doubtful for Week 7 due to ankle and elbow injuries.

Jimmy Garoppolo Will Remain 49ers’ Starting QB When Healthy

October 10th, 2021 at 10:17am CST by Rory Parks

Trey Lance will get the start at quarterback for the 49ers today in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo, but as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, Garoppolo will get his job back as soon as he is healthy enough. The Niners hope that will happen when they return from their Week 6 bye to take on the Colts in Week 7.

Although San Francisco obviously selected Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft with the hopes that he would be the long-term solution at quarterback, head coach Kyle Shanahan has made it clear ever since Lance was drafted that Garoppolo would remain the club’s starter in the near-term, and perhaps even through the 2022 season (though that would certainly qualify as a surprise).

When recently asked about the possibility of getting Lance more involved in the offense, Shanahan said, “There’s not a quarterback battle right now. We’re going with [Garoppolo] who I think is playing very well. I’m happy that he is so Trey is not thrown into any situations he has to do too early.”

At the time Shanahan made that statement, the 49ers had just lost their first game of the season, a narrow defeat to the Packers that dropped them to 2-1 on the season. But they followed that up with a loss to the Seahawks last week, a game in which Garoppolo sustained the calf injury that limited him to one half of play and that is keeping him on the sidelines this week. Though he threw a TD pass on the Niners’ first drive of the Seattle contest, Garoppolo struggled to get anything going during the rest of his time on the field.

For the season, the soon-to-be 30-year-old has completed 66.1% of his passes for five TDs and two interceptions, good for a 96.2 QB rating. After replacing Garoppolo against the Seahawks, Lance threw a 76-yard TD strike to Deebo Samuel, but he was unable to cross midfield again until there was just 1:20 left in the game. He ultimately completed nine of 18 passes for 157 yards and two scores.

Of course, if the North Dakota State product impresses today, Shanahan could change his tune in a hurry. But if Lance should struggle, then look for Garoppolo to be reinserted into the starting lineup in two weeks’ time.

49ers To Start Trey Lance In Week 5

October 8th, 2021 at 3:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jimmy Garoppolo‘s calf injury will keep him out of the 49ers’ game against the Cardinals. Trey Lance will make his debut as an NFL starter, Kyle Shanahan confirmed Friday.

This was the likely course of action for the 49ers, but the team had kept the door open for Garoppolo to come back after missing just a half. Instead, Lance will take the reins in a key NFC West matchup. Whether this will be a long-term transition or an injury-replacement stay will hinge on how Lance fares, though the runway appears clear for the atypical quarterback prospect.

The 49ers traded up nine spots to land Lance at No. 3, sacrificing two future first-round picks to do so. The team was more closely linked to Mac Jones than Lance going into the draft, and a recent report indicated the 49ers’ Jones interest spurred the trade. But the team decided on Lance, a one-year starter from Division I-FCS North Dakota State.

Lance, 21, has looked expectedly raw as a passer but has assisted the 49ers as a backup, throwing a touchdown pass in Week 1 and impressing as a runner early on. It should be expected Shanahan’s game plan will feature Lance’s dual-threat skill set in Arizona, after the talented rookie took over for Garoppolo against Seattle last week. Lance completed 9 of 18 passes against the Seahawks and rushed for 41 yards during his first half of steady NFL action.

Lance is unlikely to have the benefit of targeting one of the NFL’s best tight ends in his first start. The 49ers have listed George Kittle as doubtful to go with a calf injury. Kittle suffered the calf malady against the Packers but suited up for Week 4. After not practicing this week, the Pro Bowler does not have a good chance of playing Sunday.

49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo To Miss Time

October 4th, 2021 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo hopes to miss “just a couple of weeks” with the right calf injury he suffered on Sunday (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). An MRI will tell the full story, but Garoppolo will be sidelined for at least a little while.

Trey Lance took over for Garoppolo in the latter half of the game, completing 9-of-18 throws for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He also added for 41 rushing yards on seven tries. Ultimately, the 49ers couldn’t close the game, losing 28-21 to the Seahawks.

“We’ve been playing with rookie running backs since the second play of the first game and we’ve got a rookie quarterback right now,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game. “Hopefully, Jimmy is better, and not as bad as we think, but Trey is here for a reason. You want to give him time, you want him to be fully ready, but you don’t always have that luxury.”

Garoppolo, meanwhile, went 14-of-23 for 165 yards and one TD, scored on the flawless opening drive. Unfortunately, the calf injury slowed him down as the half progressed and ultimately forced him out.

Depending on the severity of his injury, the 49ers may choose to put Garoppolo on short-term IR, which would rule him out for the next three games. In his stead, it’ll be Lance starting under center, beginning with their Week 5 tilt against the Cardinals.

Latest On 49ers Quarterbacks

September 29th, 2021 at 6:49pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers (especially head coach Kyle Shanahan) have continually said that there isn’t a QB competition in San Francisco. Shanhan reiterated that point today when asked about the coaching staff’s willingness to get rookie Trey Lance more involved in the offense.

“There’s not a quarterback battle right now,” the coach said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner on Twitter). “We’re going with our starting quarterback who I think is playing very well. I’m happy that he is so Trey is not thrown into any situations he has to do too early.”

Shanahan’s starter is Jimmy Garoppolo, who has completed 67.4-percent of his passes for 760 yards and four touchdowns (vs. only one interception) for the 2-1 49ers. Lance, the third-overall pick in this year’s draft, has seen the field for only seven total snaps. However, two of those snaps have resulted in touchdowns, including a crucial score during his team’s loss to the Packers the other night.

Considering the draft capital that the organization invested in Lance, the North Dakota State product will surely take over at center eventually. However, until Garoppolo does something to lose his role, the rookie will remain the second QB on the depth chart.

“Trey’s our backup quarterback,” Shanahan said (via Yahoo’s Jason Owens). “This isn’t the preseason. We’re not just going back and forth all the time. Trey goes in for specific plays or things we want to do.”

49ers Were Concerned Patriots Would Jump Them To Select Mac Jones

September 12th, 2021 at 12:29pm CST by Rory Parks

The 49ers became the talk of the pre-draft portion of the offseason when they engineered a trade up to the No. 3 overall pick. It was immediately clear that San Francisco was going to draft a QB with that selection, and for a time, the rumor was that the club had its eye on Alabama passer Mac Jones. Ultimately, of course, the team drafted North Dakota State signal-caller Trey Lance.

However, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports, one of the reasons the Niners made the deal was because they believed the Patriots had identified Jones as their quarterback of the future and wanted to beat New England to the punch. That suggests that the 49ers did initially favor Jones — who was seen as an ideal fit for Shanahan’s scheme — and were only later persuaded to take Lance. The Niners said all along that they viewed multiple passers as legitimate candidates for the No. 3 pick, so blocking the Pats and assuring themselves of the chance to select Jones was not the only motivation for the deal, but it was certainly a perk.

As Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston tweets, there may have been another benefit to the trade as it relates to New England. Even if Lance was the 49ers’ target all along, floating the possibility that they were going to nab Jones might have prompted the Pats to swing a deal for Jimmy Garoppolo.

In the end, Jones fell to the Patriots at No. 15 overall, and he will be under center for the club’s regular season opener against the Dolphins today. Meanwhile, Garoppolo is still starting for the 49ers, and Lance will operate as his backup.

That arrangement may not last long. As Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes, Shanahan has already installed plays for Lance, who will see the field in certain packages right away. And one source says Lance will assume more and more responsibilities as the early part of the season goes on while Garoppolo showcases his talents for teams that might be interested in trading for him prior to the November 2 deadline.

Latest On Trey Lance, 49ers QB “Competition”

July 27th, 2021 at 8:48pm CST by Ben Levine

There isn’t a QB competition in San Francisco. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said there is no open competition for the starting gig, as veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is the definitive starter while rookie Trey Lance will serve as the backup (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo via Twitter).

“Trey’s had seven practices with us, and I haven’t seen him in 40 days, so I’m not thinking about that right now,” Shanahan said (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area). “There’s no open competition right now in terms of equal reps with the same group…Jimmy is coming in as the one, and Trey is coming in as the two.”

This isn’t the first time the organization has expressed this sentiment. In fact, we heard earlier this year that the team was willing to roll with Garoppolo for the next two years before inevitably turning to Lance, the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft. To the 49ers credit, they seem to be sticking to their story, but it remains to be seen if they’ll stick with the game plan.

Few first-round quarterbacks since the Packers’ Brett Favre-to-Aaron Rodgers transition have failed to take over starting jobs as rookies, let alone second-year passers. In every non-Rodgers case, a first-round pick having failed to seize the job by Year 2 signaled a bust. Garoppolo sat for three-plus seasons behind Tom Brady, but the Patriots selected him in the 2014 second round. Garoppolo piloted the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV, throwing 27 touchdown passes in 2019, but has been unreliable from a health standpoint since coming to San Francisco. This led to the team trading up for Lance.

Meanwhile, Lance has yet to ink his rookie contract, but GM John Lynch believes a deal will be completed sooner than later.

“We’ve never had a holdout but it always seems to go down to the wire,” Lynch said (via Garafolo on Twitter). “It’s important he is here.”

49ers Fine With Jimmy Garoppolo Starting Two More Seasons

May 5th, 2021 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite being in trade rumors going into the draft, Jimmy Garoppolo remains a 49er. The soon-to-be 30-year-old quarterback now looks set, with the team having drafted North Dakota State one-year starter Trey Lance, to enter another season as San Francisco’s starting quarterback.

The 49ers are also not shutting the door on Garoppolo keeping his job into 2022. While this would be highly unusual for a modern first-round QB, especially one the 49ers traded two future first-round picks for, CEO Jed York said the Garoppolo-in-2022 scenario has come up at team headquarters.

“We’ve talked about this internally,” York said during an appearance on 49ers Talk with Matt Maiocco and Laura Britt (via NBC Sports). “If we’re in a situation where Jimmy goes out and takes us to a Super Bowl again and has an MVP-caliber season, and does it again, there are worse dilemmas to be in. And Jimmy certainly has the ability to do that.

“Knowing it’s the most important position in sports, and it’s great to have a guy that you do believe in and has gotten you to a Super Bowl. So you don’t have to put the weight of the world on a rookie, whoever it was we were going to choose.”

Few first-round quarterbacks since the Packers’ Brett Favre-to-Aaron Rodgers transition have failed to take over starting jobs as rookies, let alone second-year passers. In every non-Rodgers case, a first-round pick having failed to seize the job by Year 2 signaled a bust. Garoppolo sat for three-plus seasons behind Tom Brady, but the Patriots selected him in the 2014 second round. Garoppolo piloted the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV, throwing 27 touchdown passes in 2019, but has been unreliable from a health standpoint since coming to San Francisco. This led to the team trading up for Lance.

The 49ers would save $25.6MM by moving on from Garoppolo in 2022, which still should be considered the likely scenario. Garoppolo’s salary remaining on the books will prevent the 49ers from capitalizing on a rookie QB contract, which has become a valuable roster-building tool since the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie deals. Lance only attempted 318 passes in college, declaring for the draft ahead of his COVID-19-nixed sophomore season.