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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch admitted that he probably won't be watching the quarterbacks at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday as carefully as he did last year. That's because the 49ers have their franchise quarterback in place.
After guiding the 49ers to five-straight victories to end the 2017 season, Jimmy Garoppolo signed a five-year, $137.5 million deal on February 8 to become the team's franchise quarterback. Lynch said that feels good to head to the combine with the quarterback position taken care of.
"I remember it very much -- was just thinking about it over here -- last year, that was a primary focus, finding our guy," Lynch said. "It's one of the first things after Kyle and I got together, we talked about the culture we want to set and all that. But I think we both agreed you have to find that guy at that position. It's of such premium and importance.
"It didn't happen in the draft process last year, but some fortuitous things kind of broke our way during the season. And I really commend Kyle for his patience once we got Jimmy and allowing him to take time to learn the system as best as he could.
"Everybody was saying, 'Play him. Hey, you traded for him, let's play him.' He made sure he was at a spot where we were setting him up for success.
"And then he went in, and we like to say he 'balled out.' He played really well, and he made out team better. Then it became a focus: Let's get him locked up. I think it was a deal that worked out for everyone and I think we're very appreciative to Jimmy, Don Yee, and his team that we were able to do it so swiftly.
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"I think that's a huge bonus for us that we have him locked up going into free agency. I think it makes it a place where a lot of people want to be, and we're excited about that."
When asked about using Garoppolo as a recruiting tool for potential free agents, Lynch responded, "Wouldn't you?"
At this point last year, the 49ers didn't have a quarterback under contract. The team decided not to bring back any of the quarterbacks from the previous regime and instead wanted to shape the position the way they wanted to.
"What's even more liberating is having Jimmy under contract," Lynch added.
Lynch also reflected on the scouting process for Garoppolo, which started very early in his 49ers tenure with head coach Kyle Shanahan. The two sat down together and reviewed film at every position. When it came to the various clips of quarterbacks, Garoppolo kept showing up.
"That tape, I kept watching," Lynch said. "The physical skills were noticeable. His ability to quickly get rid of the ball efficiently and accurately and all those things. So we started watching more. There wasn't a whole lot to watch, but what you watched, you really liked."
What traits attracted the 49ers to Garoppolo?
"I think the physical traits," Lynch answered. "He can really quickly process and get rid of the football in a fashion that I would say is elite. Then you go to study the makeup of the guy. The only way to do that is to see him around his teammates. To me, the best leaders, the best quarterbacks, they make everyone around them better."
Lynch saw that during Garoppolo's starts for the 49ers. With Garoppolo at quarterback, coupled with young players having more experience and others getting healthy, the team got better.
"There's no mistaking that when he came in and started playing, it lifted our team and it lifted everyone around him," Lynch said.
We are less than one week away from the NFL Draft, and the San Francisco 49ers have their first day-one draft pick since 2021. That was the year they selected QB Trey Lance number three overall. The trade-up to get Lance cost the 49ers their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. And now that they are back in the first round, at pick 31, fans are anxious to see what the team does with the pick. And with former assistant GM, Adam Peters, now in Washington, it will be interesting to see how well the 49ers draft without Peters in the room.
We looked back at the seven drafts GM John Lynch and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan have led to see what information we could pull from those drafts. There were plenty of hits, plenty of misses, and a few surprises along the way. The draft picks are
Rumors have swirled regarding the situation between the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is entering his fifth NFL season and is slated to earn $14.124 million on a team-executed fifth-year option. Despite the 49ers publicly declaring a desire to sign Aiyuk to a contract extension, keeping him on the roster for the foreseeable future, many rumors have focused on potential trade interest.
On Monday, general manager John Lynch held his annual pre-draft press conference, addressing the Aiyuk situation without revealing any information on the conversations that have taken place behind closed doors. Once again, he emphasized that the 49ers want Aiyuk to remain with the team for the remainder of his career.
When asked if there was a chance Aiyuk
The decision to trade up in the 2021 NFL Draft and select quarterback Trey Lance could have had significant consequences for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. With the team lacking first-round picks in the last two drafts due to this move, and Lance no longer on the roster after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys before last season, it's clear the gamble didn't unfold as expected.
Lynch held his annual pre-draft press conference on Monday, reflecting on the decision to take such a big chance on Lance. While such a bold move might have jeopardized jobs elsewhere, Lynch and Shanahan were blessed with some good fortune in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Acknowledging the support of the team's ownership, Lynch stated, "They believe in Kyle and I, and our
As customary, NFL teams engage in preliminary discussions about potential draft trades during owner meetings. The San Francisco 49ers currently hold the No. 31 spot in the first round but appear receptive to moving either up or down. The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night.
General manager John Lynch addressed reporters on Monday and acknowledged the wide range of possibilities. However, he noted that any potential discussions about trading spots with other teams will likely intensify later in the week.
"It's going to be an interesting year," Lynch stated. "I think it's an interesting draft class. I was just looking at my notes and one interesting thing to me, dynamic, and the way of the world right now, we put a grade on players in the fall if we think
