The talk of Jimmy Garoppolo’s days being numbered as quarterback of the 49ers is well documented and exists for many reasons. Now some of the local media around the Bay Area are joining in on disparaging the good name of Jimmy G.
Today’s win over the Bears notwithstanding, even the local media in the San Francisco bay area have seen enough of Garoppolo and are ready to move on. John Middlekauff has been a prominent voice in Bay Area sports for years, and he’s publicly expressed his displeasure with Garoppolo. I cannot disagree. Jimmy G has a ceiling, and he bumped his noggin on it a couple of years ago in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs.
Some will point out the same dink-and-dunk style that Tom Brady mastered in New England when defending Garoppolo against naysayers. The difference is Brady did this out of necessity for most of his time in New England. Whenever Brady’s had weapons that can get open downfield, we’ve all seen him get the ball to them on time and accurately. Jimmy’s short-pass game is just what he does because he can’t do much else, and his coaches know this. Garoppolo isn’t bad, but he’ll never be an elite QB. And he certainly doesn’t have elite arm talent.
Let’s call it what it is. Yes, Garoppolo has won with the Niners, and, for that matter, with the Patriots. But everything around Jimmy needs to be pristine if he’s going to win many games. If this isn’t the case, you get a team that’s below .500, like they’ve been so far this year.
Jimmy may be the better option at this time, but I still say Trey Lance will take over the starting job before the end of the season. Lance has missed time with injuries already this year, so, of course, health will play a factor. But Lance can push the ball downfield in ways Garoppolo can only fantasize about.
The short-pass game only works for so long now. And we see how short of a lifespan it had for Jimmy G in San Francisco. The way the NFL works these days, teams don’t move up to draft a QB high in the draft to let him sit for a long time. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but it’s generally for one year at most. And I’m OK with that, but I just don’t see Garoppolo making it through the season with his job.
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