Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is ready to take the field again for the San Francisco 49ers, putting the team in a fantastic position for 2019 and beyond.
Hopes were high for the San Francisco 49ers entering the 2018 season, specifically with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo ready to begin his first full season at the helm. He entered the fray midway through the 2017 campaign and, when inserted into the starting role, led the Niners on a magical late-season run that raised optimism to new heights in the Bay Area.
Unfortunately, a full season of Garoppolo wasn’t in the cards. After a 1-1 start through two weeks, the quarterback suffered a torn ACL in Week 3, ending his season and, subsequently, the optimism in San Francisco. There was then concern whether or not he would be ready for the 2019 season, or at least when he’d be good to go.
That’s no longer a concern. As reported by Pro Football Talk, Garoppolo is cleared for all team activities with no restrictions as the 49ers are set to begin training camp in a couple of weeks. This puts the 49ers in a fantastic position, both for the 2019 season and for the future of the organization.
For starters, getting healthy puts the 49ers in a fantastic position to be a breakout team. With Jerick McKinnon returning to health, George Kittle breaking out, Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin showing truly promising signs and the additions of guys like Deebo Samuel and Tevin Coleman, the offense is in good hands. Meanwhile, new addition Nick Bosa is set to join a potentially dangerous defensive group.
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If Garoppolo is able to pick up where he left off, the 49ers could be a sneaky team in the 2019 season. After all, this is a quarterback that went 5-0 as a starter with 250 yards or more in each start — and that was with substantially less talent around him in the 2017 season. Thus, there’s reason to believe that he can succeed.
However, the real win for the 49ers in this situation is that they aren’t as all-in on Garoppolo as some may think. Yes, he signed a five-year contract in the 2017 offseason worth $137.5 million with over $70 million guaranteed, per Spotrac. What gets lost is how front-loaded that deal is in every regard.
After this season, the 49ers can get out of Garoppolo’s contract by taking on just $4.2 million in dead cap after the 2019 season. Thus, if he comes back and is a gigantic letdown for San Francisco, they can get out of the deal with very minimal financial penalty given the overall size of the contract.
In truth, this is a dream scenario for an NFL franchise. They may have their franchise quarterback and he is healthy heading into a new season, which is a cause for positivity. However, they also have the flexibility to admit a mistake and move on quickly if they’re wrong in that regard.
Thus, it’s hard to not envy the situation that the San Francisco 49ers are in with Jimmy Garoppolo entering the 2019 season. They have a path to success but also have a path to a new direction if they are unable to succeed.