What can be Attributed to the Excellent Season Jimmy Garoppolo is Having?
Jimmy Garoppolo is having himself an excellent season.
The abundance of low moments that he is prone to are just not there this season. Garoppolo is taking care of the football, making plays with his legs and being clutch on third downs. He has done an exceptional job so far this season.
Look no further than when he was called upon to steer the offense against the Cardinals. Kyle Shanahan dialed up 29 drop backs for Garoppolo versus 20 runs before the game was iced in the fourth quarter. As a result, the 49ers put up their most points all year and had their best overall offensive performance. Garoppolo deserves credit for it, especially because it's something that didn't seem possible.
What can be attributed to the excellent season that Garoppolo is having?
It's the lack of pressure and increased freedom he has now. Garoppolo is no longer that $27 million quarterback who took up almost 15 percent of the salary cap space. Players such as Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle are the top paid offensive skill players now. That takes a ton of pressure off Garoppolo and places it onto them. Shanahan also absorbs plenty of that pressure as well with his play calling.
You also have to factor in that Garoppolo was not supposed to be the starting quarterback this year. He wasn't even supposed to be back with the 49ers. Garoppolo is basically playing with found money. There is a sense of freedom that he looks to be playing with now as opposed to in years past where he was trying so hard to appease Shanahan by operating strictly within his scheme.
Now it looks as if he is doing his own thing. The fact that Garoppolo is keeping plays alive more often with his legs now is one example of that. He doesn't look as panicked in the pocket as he has in previous seasons. There is just a calmer and more driven look from him when he is playing. It also helps that he has added more motivation playing on a one-year deal, so he is getting a last chance to increase his value as he had none this past offseason regardless of health.
Personally, there isn't such a heavy cringe that I feel when I see Garoppolo throwing a pass farther than 10 yards. He just hasn't given a reason to distrust him so far. I believe he is playing the best ball of his career since the second half of the 2019 season. If the 49ers are going to get that Garoppolo, then the offense is going to soar.
Now don't get me wrong, Garoppolo is not playing at an elite level. And I wouldn't say he is doing anything special either, but it is undeniable that he is playing at an excellent level. He may still leave several plays on the field that could've helped the offense score, but ultimately, he has been executing just fine.
The 49ers can continue to depend on him just as they did against the Cardinals.
