The 2021 NFL Draft is in the books. San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch spoke with reporters after making their eighth and final selection. There has been some speculation that the team might ask quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to restructure his contract this offseason, especially after drafting his eventual replacement — Trey Lance of North Dakota State — with the No. 3 overall pick.
There are no plans to do so right now. Why? Because it's not necessary. Even after earmarking over $12 million for its latest rookie class, San Francisco isn't as pushed up against the salary cap as some felt it would be this offseason.
Garoppolo remains part of the 49ers' plans for the upcoming season and will be needed to mentor the young rookie quarterback.
"Jimmy, from contract standpoint and stuff, I always ask, if it can fit in the cap, and if we're OK with it -- and when I say if we're OK with it, that the people have to pay that," Shanahan said. "And I know Jed and his family are OK with that, and I know it fits in the cap, so that's why we feel it's a pretty good situation for us."
Garoppolo is scheduled to earn a base salary of $24.1 million and count $26.4 million against the salary cap in 2021, per OverTheCap. There were rumors that the 49ers might trade the quarterback before or during the draft. That obviously did not happen, and the team pushes forward with its plan to enter the upcoming season with Garoppolo as the starter, and Lance can sit and learn from the veteran.
"I think it's a testament to the commitment of our ownership," Lynch added. "When this process was going on, that's a question that we asked. We arrived at a point where that was our preference, to draft a quarterback and keep Jimmy, provided that someone didn't come and just completely blow us away.
"And they gave us that commitment, that yeah, we could do that, and we're happy to have that situation right now because we believe that it's a very strong one."