Why Jim Mora Jr. Says it's Unfair to Jimmy Garoppolo for the 49ers To Keep Him
I did a four-part interview with former NFL head coach and 49ers defensive coordinator Jim Mora Jr. on Monday.
Here's Part 4.
Q: Should the 49ers hold onto Jimmy Garoppolo, or just hand the team over to whichever quarterback they draft?
MORA Jr.: "I think they have to trade him if there's trade value, and bring in another veteran. I think it would be unfair to Jimmy and hard for Jimmy. I know he's a really good man and a team player. But unless the plan is to have Jimmy play for a year and have this guy, the first rounder, sit and learn from him -- that's not out of the question at all. But if they plan on starting the rookie, from a locker-room standpoint and in fairness to Jimmy, from an integrity standpoint, the best thing to do is to let him find another place to play.
Q: Would Zach Wilson be an upgrade over Garoppolo? Would Mac Jones be an upgrade over Garoppolo?
MORA Jr.: "It could also be Justin Fields. Maybe they're in love with him. I mean, what's not to like about Justin Fields? He's a winner, a great decision-maker, he's great with the ball, he can run, can throw from any launch point, he's big, he's physical. I think any of those guys long term are upgrades over Jimmy. Now, short-term you're going to take some lumps with a rookie quarterback. Jacksonville is going to take some lumps with Trevor Lawrence. Whoever drafts a rookie quarterback and expects him to play right away, it's not going to be easy. The level up is amazing when you go from the college to the NFL, but there's some special talent at quarterback this year that's ready to make that jump.
"Without being derogatory to Garoppolo, who's a heck of a football player, in the long run these guys are going to turn out to be exceptional players."
