Through just two starts with the San Francisco 49ers, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is looking like the franchise quarterback the team expected when they acquired the soon-to-be free agent from the New England Patriots for a second-round pick in the 2018 draft.
Garoppolo's first two starts with the 49ers have provided the team with consecutive wins for the first time all season, improving their record to 3-10 in a season when they were long-time front-runners for a top-two draft choice.
The acquisition of Garoppolo prompted the immediate release of placeholder Brian Hoyer, and while Garoppolo needed an injury to rookie starter C.J. Beathard in Week 12 to get a shot under center, he has since taken control of the job by outperforming his predecessors by wide margins.
| NAME | STARTS | CMP% | Passer Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Hoyer | 6 | 58.0 | 74.1 |
| C.J. Beathard | 5 | 54.9 | 69.2 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | 2 | 65.7 | 93.0 |
Garoppolo has thrown two touchdowns in three games while averaging 7.97 yards per attempt. He has done this without the luxury of the team's No. 1 wide receiver in Pierre Garcon, who was at the disposal of both Hoyer and Beathard prior to his season-ending neck injury. Receiver Marquise Goodwin has subsequently recorded 205 receiving yards on a team-high 20 targets over the past two weeks, operating as Garoppolo's clear No. 1 option.
By bringing in Garoppolo from the Patriots, the 49ers avoid having to chase the quarterback in free agency and can sign him or use the franchise tag, which is expected to be around $23 million next season, according to Spotrac.
The franchise tag for 2018 QBs will likely settle in around $23M, which would be your basic $22M+ raise for Jimmy Garoppolo.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) October 31, 2017
The 49ers had been committed to benching Garoppolo for the remainder of the 2017 season before Beathard's injury. Though that strategy would have been best in terms of their standing in the draft, it was a risky endeavor to not see what he could offer.
But now, with Beathard out and Garoppolo slinging the ball all over the field, the unexpected midseason trade made by general manager John Lynch has accelerated a rebuild once believed to be extremely lengthy.
Having now given Garoppolo more experience - he had started two games with the Patriots at the beginning of last season - the 49ers and their fans should feel better about their future at the most important position. Garoppolo's presence eliminates the need of using a high draft pick on a rookie quarterback for 2018, allowing them to address any one of their numerous other needs and saving them from suffering through another disappointing season with an inexperienced signal-caller.
Allowing head coach Kyle Shanahan to work with Garoppolo over the rest of this season and a full offseason will serve the team well for immediate success, and will see them avoid having to risk a top pick on a volatile position, even with a draft class widely believed to be extremely strong.
