Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
NFL Media's analytics expert, Cynthia Frelund, believes Jimmy Garoppolo will
throw for over 4,100 yards this season. Dr. Roto, the senior fantasy sports expert with Full-Time Fantasy, also believes the San Francisco 49ers quarterback will throw for over 4,000 yards.
Add NFL Films producer and ESPN analyst Greg Cosell to the list of experts who believe Garoppolo is in store for a big season — assuming he can stay healthy for 16 games.
"I think if he plays 16 games, he'll get 4,000 yards because I think the nature of Kyle's (Shanahan) offense will produce that," Cosell said Wednesday during a conversation on the "Tolbert, Krueger and Brooks" show on KNBR.
That would be significant for the 49ers, who have been without a 4,000-yard passer since 2000 when Jeff Garcia threw for 4,278 yards.
One of the many questions surrounding this year's squad is how many of those projected yards by Garoppolo will be hauled in by Dante Pettis. While the second-year player has had an inconsistent offseason, to say the least, Cosell likes what he has seen out of the wide receiver.
"I think the wide receiver position will play out as the year progresses because I love their young guys," Cosell said. "... I really like Dante Pettis. I went back and looked at him this summer from his targets last year. I think he has natural route quickness and separation quickness, and I think he'll improve."
Cosell doesn't believe the 49ers wideouts will be immediately productive right out of the gate but that Pettis and the group will improve as the season continues. It is a work in progress, which makes sense considering the youth at the position. Just one player, Marquise Goodwin, has more than two years of NFL experience.
Despite the inexperience, Cosell likes the potential.
"I really liked both Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd coming out of college," Cosell added. "I know Hurd's hurt and may not even be active Week 1, but I think as the season progresses, you'll see improvement from those players, and that the wide receiver position will become a solid position. I don't expect that to be the case Week 1."
Hurd is dealing with a back injury and could miss multiple games to start the season. Third-year wideout Trent Taylor is recovering from foot surgery on August 9. Other than that, the 49ers enter Week 1 relatively healthy and with five receivers — Goodwin, Pettis, Samuel, Richie James, and Kendrick Bourne — ready for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Cosell and his breakdown of the 49ers roster below.
Levin T. Black is an unsung podcast hero. Carefully striking a balance between obsessed analytics nerd and the wise elder statesman at the bar. His insights, humor, and wit are one-third of the very best 49ers podcast out there — the 49ers Webzone "No Huddle Podcast" (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google PlayMusic). I don't say this because I write for the Webzone myself. Long before I volunteered to write here, I would search for a good 49ers podcasts to listen to. It would take quite some time before I found the No Huddle Podcast. At that time, Levin T. Black was yet to join the crew, but it didn't take long to get hooked by host Zain Naqvi's commentary on the best franchise in sports.
When Levin T. Black joined the
There has been a lot of offseason criticism thrown on the shoulders of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. A lot. Probably more than necessary. It's understandable given how his 2019 campaign ended. Yes, he had a spectacular regular season. It was among the best in franchise history.
Everyone tends to look at the playoffs, though.
Garoppolo didn't do much during the 49ers' first two playoff games. In his defense, he didn't have to. The team put up dominating performances against the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. Garoppolo looked on his way to being named the MVP of Super Bowl LIV before...well...Patrick Mahomes happened, and Garoppolo
The Aaron Rodgers to San Francisco 49ers talk is starting early. Maybe nearly a year early.
First, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explored the idea of the future Hall of Famer joining his hometown team and the organization that passed him up in 2005 for Alex Smith. Now, ESPN's First Take is joining the discussion.
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That's what analyst Domonique Foxworth, along with ESPN personality Stephen
