The San Francisco 49ers are in a good position for several reasons after restructuring Jimmy Garoppolo‘s contract.
First, they have lowered his cap hit to free up space for other players they might want to sign.
Second, it gives them stability at quarterback, especially when you consider that Garoppolo has helped the Niners reach last year’s NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LIV.
Third, Garoppolo’s no-trade clause allows him to have a say on his next destination if he still gets traded within the season.
Finally, Trey Lance will still have his mentor as he leads the 49ers in his second season.
Speaking of which, The Athletic’s David Lombardi argued that retaining Garoppolo would help Lance improve.
If Trey Lance can't handle having quality depth in his position room — in the form of a teammate he's called his "big brother" — then he's not made of the stuff the 49ers believe that he's made of.
SF believes in Lance the person; they're OK w/ that aspect of Garoppolo staying
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 29, 2022
Lombardi tweeted, “If Trey Lance can’t handle having quality depth in his position room — in the form of a teammate he’s called his “big brother” — then he’s not made of the stuff the 49ers believe that he’s made of. SF believes in Lance the person; they’re OK w/ that aspect of Garoppolo staying.”
The last thing the 49ers need is for Lance to feel inferior to Garoppolo.
Having him on the sideline might shatter his confidence, leading to head coach Kyle Shanahan returning to the veteran play-caller.
Lance’s NFL Career So Far
The 49ers hope that Lance will be their next franchise quarterback because they paid a high price to get him.
They traded up in the 2021 NFL Draft by giving up their 2022 first-rounder, 2022 third-rounder, and 2023 first-rounder to the Miami Dolphins.
That transaction made him the third player selected in the said draft.
Lance played six games in his rookie season and started one game.
He completed 47.7 percent of his passes for 603 yards and five touchdowns.
Likewise, he had one rushing touchdown from 168 yards on the ground.
NEXT: A Jimmy Garoppolo Trade Could Still Be In The Works