The San Francisco 49ers decided to name Trey Lance as their starting QB earlier this year. Their first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft started just two games in his rookie campaign but the franchise felt this year was the time to put their confidence behind the two-time FCS champion.
Unfortunately for Lance and the 49ers, the talented QB picked up a season-ending ankle injury in week two of the 2022/23 campaign against the Seattle Seahawks. Lance was replaced midway through that game by Jimmy Garoppolo, who will now be promoted back to a starting position.
San Francisco is fortunate to still have Garoppolo as a backup QB. The 49ers explored the option of trading the 30-year-old earlier this year, but they could not come up with a deal with any of the other 31 teams.
Jimmy Garoppolo will earn $250K for every game where he plays more than 25% of the offensive snaps PLUS another $100K if the 49ers win the game đź’° @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/hKMVgOqrqZ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 19, 2022
This season is now the chance for the man from Illinois to prove he has a future with the franchise or to showcase to another team that they should make a move for him next year. His contract is structured with lots of incentives so he will be highly motivated to help his team.
The 49ers are one of the most popular franchises in the NFL. They are one of the reasons why, as ExpressVPN reports in this article, football is the most streamed traditional sport in the US. Fans of the NFC West team will be optimistic that Jimmy G will be able to fulfill their ambitions this season.
Garoppolo Capable of Having a Big Season
Jimmy Garoppolo is the Patriots’ ‘Plan A’ at quarterback https://t.co/PhTszKjqrc pic.twitter.com/m7hFCkxQXl
— New York Post (@nypost) March 7, 2021
As a two-time Super Bowl winner, Garoppolo is very familiar with success. He spent three years backing up Tom Brady at the New England Patriots between 2014 and 2017. He featured in 17 games for Bill Belichick’s team in that period.
His best year with the 49ers so far came in 2019. He played all 16 regular season games, leading his team to a 13-3 record, which was enough to win the NFC West title. Jimmy G then helped his team defeat the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers to reach the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, for the franchise, they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs in the game at the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida.
In 2020, the QB was able to play just six games, as an ankle sprain kept him on the sidelines for most of the campaign. It was a big blow to the 49ers, and it led to them finishing the regular season with a 6-10 record.
Garoppolo had a decent campaign last season, winning nine of the 15 games he started. He recorded 3,810 passing yards and he scored 20 passing touchdowns. 49ers fans will be hoping he can build on those numbers in 2022.
As the ESPN chart shows, San Francisco now just has two quarterbacks on their roster, with Brock Purdy backing up Garoppolo. They will be desperate for their new starter to avoid injury himself, otherwise, this season could end up being a write-off for them.
An injury to a teammate can often mean a chance for somebody to shine in the NFL, and with the blow for Lance, Garoppolo has been handed a lifeline with his franchise. It is now down to him to prove to his head coach that he can lead his team to success at the end of the campaign.
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