It's time for your hourly dose of Jimmy Garoppolo-related content. OK, maybe not hourly, but there seems to be a significant amount of discussion surrounding the San Francisco 49ers quarterback. That includes morning sports talk radio.
Former NFL head coach turned NFL Network analyst Brian Billick joined 95.7 The Game on Tuesday morning to promote his new book, The Q Factor: The Elusive Search for the Next Great NFL Quarterback. In doing so, he was, of course, asked about Garoppolo, who many feel might not have a future with the 49ers beyond this season.
Some question whether or not head coach Kyle Shanahan has a significant amount of trust in his quarterback, often pointing to last season's reduced role in the playoffs as proof that he does not. Billick was asked if he feels Shanahan trusts Garoppolo.
"Well, right now, no," Billick responded on The Morning Roast. "And probably for good reason. He wants to. They thought a lot of him when they traded for him, and he obviously has shown signs of being very good. What he hasn't shown signs of is being able to step up at the big moment in the big games on a consistent basis.
"Now, we don't have a lot to draw on, but that's got to be the biggest concern right now ... Now, obviously they're built to run the ball, and during the playoffs (last season), people were saying, 'Well, see, he didn't have a lot of big games in the playoffs.' Well, he didn't have to because they were running the ball so well. They were so dominant. So, it was kind of inconclusive.
"And now, it's even more difficult. One, because he's injured. Two, because he's just got no one around him. I mean, what did I see the other day? They went into the game with 70 percent of their productivity on IR or on the bench (because of COVID-19). So that's the difficulty for Coach Shanahan right now in evaluating (if) indeed does he have the right guy, is where is Garoppolo in his progression, and what's going on around him?"
Billick went on to say that nobody knows Garoppolo better than Shanahan and those inside the 49ers facility. That's something that the 49ers coach recently touched upon.
"I've got a good idea with Jimmy," Shanahan said last week, "and what Jimmy is capable of doing, and that's why he's been here. It's just people get better when they play more, and that's what I feel for Jimmy on. One, Jimmy gives us the best chance to win. He's proven that."
Billick says Shanahan and the 49ers will have to trust their evaluation of Garoppolo. If they knew in 2017 what they know now, they have to ask themselves, would they trade for Garoppolo again?
"You have to trust your evaluation, trust your people, and if there's a hesitation, if you don't think you would, then you move on," Billick added.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Billick below.