The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly closing in on a long-term deal with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who they acquired last season from the New England Patriots.
San Francisco general manager John Lynch missed out on induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame over the weekend, but that hasn’t stopped him from being productive. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the 49ers and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo are making inroads towards a long-term deal that would lock up the 26-year-old well into the future.
Garoppolo was traded from the Patriots to San Francisco at the NFL trade deadline back on Nov. 1, with the 49ers sending a second-round pick back to New England. After coming to the Bay Area, the former Eastern Illinois star played in six games, throwing for seven touchdowns against five interceptions.
More importantly, San Francisco went undefeated over Garoppolo’s starts after winning just one game prior to his insertion into the lineup. Garoppolo has won all seven of his career starts, and last year completed 67.4 percent of his throws while amassing 1,580 yards.
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The details of the contract are not known, but Garoppolo has to be thrilled with recent developments. Earlier this week, the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Redskins pulled off a stunning trade that saw Alex Smith end up i the nation’s capital. Smith was then immediately extended, signing a four-year, $94 million deal with a whopping $71 million guaranteed. Considering his age and the potential shown, look for Garoppolo to exceed those figures.
Perhaps the best comparison is to Brock Osweiler, who got four years and $72 million with half guaranteed from the Houston Texans prior to the 2016 season. Of course, Osweiler bombed, getting traded to the Cleveland Browns after only one season before being released.