San Francisco 49ers lastly ‘title’ Jimmy Garoppolo beginning QB
The San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback situation was one of the strangest stories of the entire NFL off-season. Jimmy Garoppolo has been the alleged starter for almost day 1.
Even after the 49ers sent a ton of picks to the Miami Dolphins to move up to the third selection and eventually choose Trey Lance, Garoppolo was the “undisputed starter.”
While things have changed to some extent in the past few weeks, it was still the popular belief that Garoppolo would start over Lance.
Less than a week before their season opener against the Detroit Lions, the 49ers seemed to have finally made that announcement. They did this without saying anything. Garoppolo is due to speak to the media around noon Pacific time on Wednesday. This is the day the NFL quarterbacks speak to the media.
Click here for our preview of Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers Week 1
Why the cat-and-mouse game from Kyle Shanahan, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers?
May 25, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks Trey Lance (5) and Jimmy Garoppolo (10) throw the soccer ball during organized team activities at the San Francisco 49ers Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Even after San Francisco’s preseason final against the Las Vegas Raiders, Shanahan stopped short of naming Garoppolo quarterback. It did so around the same time that the NFL’s proposals concluded that Lance should start over his veteran counterpart.
It also came immediately after the 49ers’ general manager John Lynch, possibly out of turn, saying that Lance “challenges” Garoppolo for the QB1 job.
Given his silence on the matter, chances are Shanahan would want opposing teams to have to plan for both Garoppolo and Lance. However, this has apparently always been the case after seeing San Francisco use the # 3 rookie during the exhibit board. Lance is expected to be in the field for some packages during the regular year.
A star in the state of North Dakota, Lance surpassed Garoppolo in the preseason. While this should be treated with caution, it has led to speculation that there was a real quarterback competition in Santa Clara – something that Shanahan and Co. have pushed back against.
In his three full seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Garoppolo has missed 23 out of a possible 48 games. In the field, it wasn’t a question of productivity. The former New England Patriots second-round pick has set a 22-8 record in 30 starts with San Francisco and scored 46 touchdowns against 26 interceptions.
It remains to be seen whether that kind of success will give Garoppolo a longer leash after the regular season starts. At this point the leash appears to be quite short. Time will tell on this front.
San Francisco is currently a 7.5 point favorite on the road against a supposedly bad Lions team in Week 1. Should Garoppolo struggle, we will learn more about the 49ers’ quarterback situation. The bank can bet on that.
