If Jimmy Garoppolo’s time is up, perhaps the San Francisco 49ers should add another Irishman under center.
Playoffs or not, one has to be impressed with the San Francisco 49ers. Despite all the injuries, plus names on the COVID-19/reserve list, the team sits still in the playoff hunt at 5-6.
Is it a long shot to say the franchise out west can close out the year with a 10-6 record? Perhaps. If so, the writing might be on the wall for Jimmy Garoppolo out in the Bay Area.
Give credit to the former Patriot during his four years with the franchise. He’s 22-8 as a starter and was essential to the team’s offensive production during their NFC Championship run in 2019. Slight problem since he played the role of supporting character despite his position needing that of a leading man.
Garoppolo has never thrown for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season. He’s also only played one full 16-game span as injures cost him almost all of 2018 and a majority of 2020. After his encouraging 5-0 start following the trade from New England, John Lynch awarded their ” franchise guy” a five-year, $137.5 million deal.
At this point, it’s certainly buyer’s remorse and also looking like a cap causality.
Quarterback isn’t the biggest concern for San Francisco entering April’s draft. If the team continues to play well, they’ll be out of line to draft one of the top four names.
Kyle Shanahan might be looking for his Joe Montana. Maybe it’s best to follow in the same suit: same round, same college.
Look no further than Notre Dame’s Ian Book come draft day.
Book’s magical season at Notre Dame could lead to an NFL dream
Lost in the conversations of Mac Jones and Kyle Trask, Book has been the biggest riser in quarterbacks at the FBS level. Last weekend against the Tar Heels, he showed his potential as a future NFL signal-caller.
Going 23-of-33 for 279 yards and a touchdown, it was another weekend without an interception. In fact, to find his last turnover, one would have to go back to Week 1 and 273 passes ago when he saw a tipped ball land in a Duke defender’s hands.
Before that interception? Try November 11 of 2019.
Book’s improved passing deep, seeing at least five balls go for more than 40 yards on an afternoon. Still, what works for the senior quarterback is consistency and reliance in the short game, averaging 8.4 yards a completion.
Boring? Sure. Effective? Precisely.
Book recently tied Brady Quinn and others for the most wins in school history with 28. He’s one away from floating next to Touchdown Jesus as the Knute Rockne of Notre Dame quarterbacks. And while some might judge Book’s minimal 12 passing touchdowns, Montana’s final season in South Bend ended with 10.
The 49ers are proving to be a run-heavy team after the past two seasons. Garoppolo is showing to be an overpaid game-manager. With a trio of weapons in the passing game, there’s no denying the talent, when healthy can be special with a managing quarterback who trusts the clock and his targets in yards after the catch.
Book marks every positive trait in that category.
Trading away Garoppolo might be easier said than done, but if all else fails, bringing in some competition would see what the future holds.
In 1979, Montana sat behind Steve DeBerg, a three-year starter for the team. By 1980, he took over and thanks to the luck of the Irish, the rest was history.
Let’s see if that shamrock success could be destined to repeat itself come towards the end of next season with Book in the bay.