It looks like the Jimmy Garoppolo experiment with the San Francisco 49ers is over.
During a press conference on Wednesday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told the press that he didn’t “see any scenario” in which Jimmy G. returns to the squad next season.
Shanahan doesn’t see any scenario in which Jimmy G is back with the 49ers next season pic.twitter.com/xQDhyEmy0y
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) February 1, 2023
Shanahan also said that he views Trey Lance and Brock Purdy as starter-level quarterbacks and he believes he can win moving forward with them. Shanahan claimed that he’s “content enough” with Purdy and Lance as his quarterbacks and doesn’t feel the need to fish around for a veteran QB in free-agency over the off-season.
Kyle Shanahan lays out the #49ers situation at QB for next season.
He doesn’t see any scenarios where Jimmy Garoppolo would return, but says of Trey Lance and Brock Purdy,
“I know we have 2 starters on our team right now that I believe we can win with…”#FTTB pic.twitter.com/l9CysfoiIq
— Joe Hughes (@VegasJoeHughes) February 1, 2023
Garoppolo entered off the bench in the second week of the season for the 49ers after Lance fractured his fibula against the Seattle Seahawks on a designed quarterback run. Garoppolo played solid in relief for Lance in his ten games as San Francisco’s starter, until he broke his left foot against the Miami Dolphins in week 13. (RELATED: Arena Football League Announces 2024 Relaunch With 16 Teams)
Garoppolo’s injury forced Purdy into the starting lineup, and the rest was history. Purdy went undefeated for seven games and led the 49ers to the NFC Championship game. In his seven games as San Francisco’s starter, Purdy threw the football for over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns, according to ESPN. Purdy’s season would ultimately come to a halt during the conference championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles when he injured his elbow, but from how well he played prior, its become obvious that Shanahan prefers him and Lance over the older Garoppolo.
As of right now, Jimmy G. is a free-agent. It’s hard for me to believe that he won’t be signed relatively early during the offseason. He’s accomplished more than most quarterbacks in the NFL and has come extremely close to winning the Super Bowl in the past.
I can envision Garoppolo signing with the Las Vegas Raiders. Not only does Nevada have nice weather, but their head coach Josh McDaniels was the New England Patriots offensive coordinator during Garoppolo’s three years playing in Foxborough. Also, the Raiders have one of the best wide receivers in football in DaVante Adams, signed under contract for the long haul.
Vegas just seems like a logical landing spot for Jimmy G. as he searches for a new team. He could help them return to relevance. According to Pro Football Reference, Garoppolo is 40-17 in the NFL as a starting quarterback and has thrown for 87 passing touchdowns and just 42 interceptions.
Like I said, he’s accomplished more in his career than most quarterbacks and is pretty good still. If he can manage to stay healthy moving forward and signs with a team with pieces like the Raiders, he could very well be back in the playoffs as a starter.
Time will tell with where he’ll play next, but something tells me he will go in free agency pretty early on. I believe his best days are still ahead of him.