Why the Decision to move on from Garoppolo Could Prove to be the Right One
The 2021-2022 season for the 49ers was not a disappointment by any means. A 12-8 finish with an NFC championship appearance is often satisfying. Unless, of course, there is an argument to be had that a Super Bowl was in the team's future.
After interacting with several 49ers fans over the past few weeks, one thing is clear: The controversy lies at the quarterback position. Last year, Jimmy Garappolo started in his fifth consecutive season for the team. He had led his team to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2019 season but, apart from that, the former Patriot still had loads to prove.
Before we analyze how Garappolo fared this past season, let’s set a few things straight about what kind of quarterback he is. Firstly, he is a game manager. As the game evolves, we see guys such as Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert who are so incredibly amusing to watch because they can carry their teams to victory with a skill set that is extremely well-rounded. These kinds of quarterbacks have an uncanny ability to extend plays when needed, make throws that 99 percent of people could only dream of attempting, and have the “it” factor. Garoppolo possesses none of those attributes.
This is not to say that he is an awful quarterback, not at all. Although, you know what you are receiving when you sign him. Garoppolo is a quarterback that has to have an elite defense, a solid run game, and a multitude of weapons to impress the eyes of viewers. He won't make any eye-popping throws, nor will he evade pressure at a high level. Garoppolo will more often than not throw the check-down rather than extend a play. He will take a sack, rather than scamper and unleash a 60-yard bomb. You just won’t see it.
So why explain this to you? Well, when you take a look at this past season, he failed to even perform competently in his role: In 15 games, Garoppolo threw 20 touchdown passes with 12 interceptions, amassing 3,810 yards. On paper, that’s not a horrible season, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done. One of the most crucial traits of a “game manager” is being able to stay consistent. Let’s just say that Garoppolo was everything but consistent.
In Garoppolo’s first two games of the season, he was able to post two games above 100 for his passer rating. Anything above the 90-95 range is considered elite. Retaining those numbers is impossible, and throughout the season his numbers fluctuated. He finished the season with a 98.0 rating. These are solid numbers, but it’s exactly what you would expect from a game manager like Garoppolo.
So, with fairly good numbers, why did fans seem to turn on him? Well, Garoppolo seemed to struggle with pressure, particulalry in this year's playoffs against the Packers and the Rams. He completed 59 percent of his passes against Green Bay, plus he threw a costly interception with zero touchdowns to show for it. Against LA, he was a bit better but completed just above 50 percent of his passes, threw for 232 yards, 2 TDs and a game-sealing interception.
When big games arrived, Garoppolo under-performed. When pressure inevitably arose, Garoppolo didn’t have enough poise or mobility to make things happen. Quite simply, it was the shear inconsistency that left his fanbase deranged.
The best comparison to this similar situation would’ve been Alex Smith’s time in Kansas City, most notably the 2017 season. Smith had an MVP-caliber year on paper, amassing more than 4,000 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and five interceptions. Smith had perfected the game manager role and was recognized for it. Unfortunately, his inability to drive the ball down the field and do more than what was asked led to another playoff loss against the Titans. The Chiefs would move on to a much more dynamic quarterback in Patrick Mahomes and the rest is history.
Late last season, Garoppolo was out due to injury against the Texans, which meant rookie Trey Lance would start in a must-win game. Going into it, the 49ers were 8-7, and if they wanted to sneak into the Wild Card, they had to win this game. Fortunately for them, Lance impressed and displayed flashes of greatness, all while overcoming adversity.
The first half was a rough one for the rookie. When the half concluded, Lance was 10-of-13 with 103 passing yards and an interception. Not awful, but not great either. As the second half started, it was substantially more noticeable that he was reading the field at a higher level as the game progressed. His first touchdown was a pass to Elijah Mitchell on a bootleg. While a simple pass, it was pleasant to see the young rookie take his check-down rather than try to make a fancier play. This play gave Lance confidence, as well as boosted his knowledge of what he could and couldn’t do. His second and last touchdown of the day came on an astonishing 45-yard pass to Deebo Samuel. Lance rolled to his right and bombed one across the field, Deebo caught it in stride around the 10 and did the rest. Unlike Lance's first TD, this one displayed his ability to make the risky play and pull it off perfectly. This is where fans realized that a change needed to be made and that Trey Lance was ready to take the throne. Garoppolo’s shortcomings were ready to be replaced by a quarterback whose skillset expanded far wider and was much more entertaining to watch.
After covering each of these key points, it’s easy to see why promoting Lance as the starter is sure to be the right decision. Lance is a much more mobile quarterback. Lance has exponential arm talent. Lance can run when needed. And lastly, Lance overcame numerous cases of adversity in his first game, a sign of greatness.
Also something to note, Charvarious Ward had this to say about his new starter: “He’s the face of the franchise now. He’s going to show the world this season." This is considerably high praise, taking into account that Ward recently played with Patrick Mahomes. Ward recognizes greatness, or at least glimpses of it when he lays his eyes upon it.
Lance’s first season as the starter is sure to bring its fair share of fireworks, as well as various questions and concerns. Despite being highly touted at the moment, it’s important to remember that Lance is young and is sure to make mistakes. Fortunately for him, he is surrounded by phenomenal players and proven coaches. He goes into his second season seeing himself in one of the best situations possible and one thing is for sure: The kid is going to be a blast to watch in the near future.
