Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo Staying With 49ers
The Jimmy Garoppolo saga is seemingly over. That gal who vowed to draw the San Francisco 49ers quarterback every day until he was traded can stop now.
Garoppolo is staying with the 49ers this coming season after he restructured his contract Monday afternoon, a league source confirmed to OutKick.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after he threw a touchdown pass to George Kittle against the Cleveland Browns at Levi's Stadium on October 07, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The deal wipes away the $24.2 million base salary Garoppolo was scheduled to make this year and replaces it with a fully guaranteed $6.5 in base salary and another $500,000 in roster bonuses.
This is huge for the 49ers.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 16: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after a sack against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at AT&T Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
They're effectively saving nearly $18 million in both real money and against the salary cap assuming Garoppolo does not unseat Trey Lance as the starter. That helps the cap-strapped team in future negotiations with defensive end Nick Bosa, who will want a contract extension next year because salary cap money carries over year to year.
It's also a win for the 49ers because the team that seemingly had to trade or cut Garoppolo now now has arguably one of the NFL's best backup quarterbacks.
What other backup helped his team get to the Super Bowl and a conference championship game in two of the past three years? Only Garoppolo.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a touchdown of his team against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
So what's in it for Garoppolo?
The new contract includes a no-trade clause so the team cannot turn around and send him unceremoniously packing somewhere he doesn't want to go.
And after this season the 49ers cannot use the franchise or any other tag on Garoppolo to keep him tied to the team. He will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and will be able to go chase a starting job.
The 49ers continue with their plan to start the Lance era this year.
The only way Garoppolo plays is the way most backup QBs play -- if Lance is injured or so ineffective he's benched.
As he has agreed that he's starting the season on the bench, Garoppolo's new deal also includes incentives in case he regains the starting job. He will then be paid up to $9 million in incentives as the starter.
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