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Much of the San Francisco 49ers' 2019 season depends on the health and play of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The team made the decision last year to sign him to a long-term contract, instantly making him the face of the franchise during the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era.
But what happens if Garoppolo, who is coming off of an ACL injury, doesn't perform to expectations in 2019? That is a question that Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has been bringing up a lot, and he did so again while looking at the top 30 storylines of 2019. The topic of Garoppolo's future came in at No. 22 on the list.
Florio believes that the 49ers could move on from Garoppolo should he have a subpar outing during the upcoming season. While he doesn't mention the name during his most recent analysis, Florio has already speculated that Shanahan may still be interested in Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, whom he coached for two seasons (2012-13) in Washington.
Garoppolo impressed during a five-game stretch in 2017 and, rather than using the franchise tag, the 49ers handed the quarterback a five-year deal worth up to $137.5 million. The team has an out after this season and would absorb just a $4.2 million salary cap hit should it part ways with Garoppolo. These are all well-known facts that Florio once again points out.
After earning just 10 wins during their first two seasons, could Shanahan and Lynch make a drastic move to appease ownership and save their jobs?
"You've got Coach Shanahan and GM John Lynch entering the third year of six-year deals, fully guaranteed with no offset language," Florio says. "As you get closer and closer to the end of those contracts, the buyout gets cheaper and cheaper. And if ownership isn't happy with the direction of the team, they decide to move on."
Florio believes Shanahan and Lynch could decide to move on from Garoppolo and bring in a new quarterback to get a chance at finishing out their six-year deals or come close. Otherwise, the 49ers could find themselves searching for a new head coach and general manager.
Ownership has been very supportive of Shanahan and Lynch up to this point, and the two made it clear upon being hired that a lot of work needed to be done to rebuild the roster. It was never going to be a one- or two-year turnaround.
"The focal point is Garoppolo," Florio adds. "Will he earn that contract? If he doesn't, what will the 49ers do about it? There could be a new quarterback in San Francisco as soon as 2020. Much of it depends on what Garoppolo achieves or doesn't achieve in 2019."
You can watch the entire segment about Garoppolo below.
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
Draft Watch: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley visiting 49ers on Wednesday
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Rapoport: 49ers send clear message to teams inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
Mike Silver on how Deebo Samuel's contract might be the starting point for a Brandon Aiyuk extension
By Al Sacco
Apr 16
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, it's common for the rumor mill to start churning, especially with players who are actively seeking a new contract. It was just two short years ago that WR Deebo Samuel requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers prior to draft day, only for cooler heads to prevail and eventually agree to a new deal.
Now, it's WR Brandon Aiyuk's turn to try and get paid and rumors surfaced over the weekend that he too would request to be dealt. While that report was quickly shot down by his agent, there's still a lot of discussion about Aiyuk's future and if other teams will come calling on draft night.
Legendary columnist Mike Silver joined
