Jimmy Garoppolo deal raises questions about 49ers’ trust in Trey Lance

By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFC West Writer

After months of patiently waiting for the right trade partner for their rehabbing, former starting quarterback, the San Francisco 49ers found the best spot for Jimmy Garoppolo.

At the team’s facility, backing up second-year pro Trey Lance.

In a head-scratching turn of events, instead of releasing or trading the 30-year-old veteran signal-caller, the Niners agreed to restructure the final year of Garoppolo’s deal. According to reports, the new agreement gives Garoppolo a guaranteed base salary of $6.5 million with incentives that could pay him up to $16 million if all bonuses are reached.

The deal also includes a no-trade and no-tag clause, meaning Garoppolo will be in San Francisco for the 2022 season, unless he waives his no-trade clause. He can then move on to a new team next season. 

On the surface, the new deal makes sense, trimming the $24.2 million salary Garoppolo was due this upcoming year and making him the NFL’s highest-paid backup. 

The Niners are talented and built to compete for a Super Bowl now, and Garoppolo provides insurance should Lance suffer an injury or not play to his potential.

Garoppolo, who is still rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery on his throwing shoulder in March, gets a chance to keep working in a facility with a medical staff that he’s familiar with. After this season he becomes a free agent, with the ability to sign wherever he wants. 

If the Niners do not move Garoppolo this season, they should receive a compensatory pick when he signs with another team in 2023.

That said, this is a risky move by San Francisco because it undermines everything Shanahan and others in the organization said publicly about the North Dakota State product’s readiness to take over the role as a starting quarterback of a playoff-contending team.

What are frontline players like George Kittle and Deebo Samuel going to say when Lance is struggling and there is another guy on the sideline holding a clipboard who helped to lead them to a Super Bowl?

How about the fans at Levi’s Stadium when Lance throws an interception and the inevitable comparison to what Garoppolo would have done emanates from talk radio?

The Niners are placing Lance on a short leash, with little room for error, which could stunt the growth of a young quarterback who has not played many meaningful snaps.  San Francisco was going to handle Lance like the Kansas City Chiefs took their time with Patrick Mahomes. However, the Niners audibled on Tuesday. The move leads NFL observers to wonder how concerned Shanahan is with Lance’s development.

There have been mixed reviews about Lance from reporters on the ground at San Francisco’s training camp practices. Lance was solid, but not spectacular during exhibition play, finishing 11-of-16 for 141 yards, with a touchdown and no interceptions. He was sacked twice, posting a 116.93 passer rating. 

Garoppolo’s track record is mixed, but his teams have won. He is 35-16 (including postseason games) since joining the Niners in 2017. Shanahan is 8-28 without Garoppolo as his starter. Last season, the Niners finished 1-1 with Lance during his rookie season and 11-7 (including postseason) with Garoppolo under center. 

For Shanahan, perhaps it’s as simple as keeping around a player he knows can win games for him while he figures out if Lance can do the same.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.