Garoppolo.
So on Monday of this week we all were
I think
we all were surprised, some probably shocked that
the 49ers. Reversed course all along
the popular wisdom. Was that the 49ers even if they couldn't
find a trading partner for Jimmy Garoppolo would
Would
release them
and so, therefore, would not owe him. The 24 million dollars
that the salary cap demanded that they pay this year.
And it really was one of the strangest stories of this
season
for those who haven't followed it closely.
When I went to Niners training camp, I walked into John Lynch
has office
to have a conversation with him and I said, hey what's what's
up with Garoppolo? What's what
He do here every day
and assertive motion to afar practice field outside of
the window in his office and there was a lone solitary figure way
out in back.
Jimmy, Garoppolo
working out throwing the football to who I don't know.
I'm sure. Practice squad type receivers
and he's rehabbing a shoulder surgery that he had in
the offseason. So Lynch at the I'm didn't know, but I got the very
strong feeling that it was going to be either
a trade or release, probably a release. So
I didn't think that much of it, but as the day went on, it got
a little stranger
because, you know, honestly, I heard two things that Jimmy
Garoppolo is not going to any
meetings inside the facility.
He does not have a Playbook.
And that's another thing that I heard and
he just barely has a hello relationship with
the quarterback. Coach Brian Griese,
it was just, it's very odd. That one of the highest-paid
players on your team is basically a non-person.
But the reason this story got a little bit more interesting.
Why I led my column with it on August 15th is because of
something that Kyle Shanahan told me
about the heir to the quarterback job Trail ants
because
I had been kind of cautious about the rush to Trail ants
because
as this is the most overused static. Like column
since the spring,
but in the four years since Trey, Lance, is graduated from
high school in the for football seasons. He's throwing 389
passes in games
and most of those were to division one double a school.
So,
we touch on that with Matthew Berry a little bit later, in
fact, but but anyway, be that as it may. And by the way,
I recorded my segment We buried before the 49ers news came down
Down. So, just understand, we recorded that on Monday before
the Jimmy Garoppolo re-signing with the 49ers
became known. But this is what
Kyle Shanahan told me when I said to him and I'm going to
read this
Australians ready to take it all on his shoulders.
Shanahan said
he shouldn't be, he hasn't gone through it enough. I believe in
him is a man is a person,
I believe in his talent.
I don't think he's going to make or break our season just
like, in 2019, and last year, I didn't think Jimmy was going to
make or break our season.
Now, here's the key quote
but what sucks is when you're learning how to play in, you're
not there yet. How do you not get worse, sometimes when that
pressures on you and you need to go through the growing pains
and quote.
So when I left there that day and I had a conversation with
Trey, Lance who,
you know, said all the right things, he really didn't say
too much but
You know, when I left there that day I said you know,
they're basically going to have to game plan around Trail ants
because I just got the feeling that day that Kyle Shanahan fell.
I really like this guy but I don't know if he's ready
and that is what I think led to what happened when the 49ers
signed Garoppolo to a one-year 6.5 million dollar, guaranteed
contract, that does this.
For Jimmy Garoppolo. It gives him a place to play this year.
There were no obvious Landing spots for Jimmy Garoppolo
anywhere in the NFL. Not in Cleveland, there was just
passive interest, not in Seattle where they seem
committed to play Geno Smith, but there's
some nobody really wanted. Jimmy Garoppolo. And in fact,
I thought that Jimmy Garoppolo would be best served just sit
until there's an injury. And it's
like, I'm wishing it, quarterback injury on somebody,
but just sit
and Garoppolo chose this option because, and I think he's right
without any guarantee to play anywhere else, Jimmy.
Garoppolo's
best option is to sit right now in San Francisco. Get back up
to speed with this team.
Watch the first two or three weeks.
Let's see how trade Lance does.
If Trey Lance Keeps the job and plays very well, which is
certainly possible.
Then Jimmy Garoppolo
for one year, just sits and gets ready for
the game of quarterback. Musical chairs that starts again
next. March, he makes 6.5 million and he probably
probably but not certainly
will go somewhere is the starter
in 2023.
Place to keep an eye on. I think is in Houston if Davis
Mills And play well, this year
for the Texans but I happen to think Davis Mills is going to
play well for the Texans. But
let's get back to the two other factors.
So why did the 49ers do this?
It's two reasons has to be two reasons.
Number one, they're not confident with
the players behind
Trail Ends,
you know, Nate son fell and Brock / D, the rookie
and probably probably. Although I'm not sure they can probably
sneak Brock /, D onto the practice squad
at the Final Cuts and then keeps unfilled as a number three.
But
it looks to me like this is some commentary on the fact
that
if Lance either can't do it or gets hurt, they're not really
confident in Sudden Fields ability to play multiple games
in to win
multiple games for them.
And number two, I think it's a commentary on their confidence
in trail ants. They simply
don't know what they have yet.
And as Kyle Shanahan says said to me in training camp
you know
what sucks is when you're learning how to play and you're
not there yet.
And that's why I think at the end of the day, the 49ers did
this,
I want to say one other thing that to me, look,
I'm not sure that the 49ers misjudged this situation,
and certainly, the 49ers knew that by going back in signing,
Garoppolo, they look
quite honestly a little bit ill prepared because he's not been
in any meetings.
He's not, I mean, he's not been
By the quarterback coach.
So in some ways in some weird ways it's almost like he's
a new guy, a new kid on the Block
when he walks into quarterback. Meetings starting today,
which is Tuesday, as I record this
August 30 2006 into quarterback meetings.
I just have a real question, it's going to be weird weird
chemistry because,
you know, the One X Factor in this 1X. Factor
is. What does this do
to Trey Lance's psyche?
He's very confident kid. He's a humble kid, but he's confident
but now
they basically have brought back a quarterback
and Trey. Lance how does he avoid thinking
this team really doesn't believe in me.
This team is putting training wheels on me,
you know, because they know that now they have a good
insurance policy. So Maybe they won't be as patient with me
if I have a few struggles.
So, it's a complicated story,
obviously,
and it has a weird weird outcome
that
no one thought was going to happen. I mean, just remember
six months ago
after, the season ended, Jimmy Garoppolo had an emotional
press conference in which he thanked the 49ers,
thank the 49ers Fans and said I love you guys too Niners fans
and he walked off into the sunset. He has not spoken
since that afternoon.
So now
the genie has to be put back in the bottle
and look for the from the 49ers standpoint. After
the awkwardness of this goes away. The one thing, the one thing
that I would worry about
is what you were saying to Trail aliens by bringing Jim.
Garoppolo back, it's impossible for me to believe that he can't
think
this team. Really has some doubts about me
and we'll see how all the mental parts of it go.
But that is without any question
one of the fascinating stories of 2022
as we head into this NFL season.