Earlier this week, Matt Maiocco explained three reasons why the 49ers would move on from Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason no matter what happens in the playoffs.
Garoppolo’s former teammate, Richard Sherman, doesn’t believe that would be wise.
“I think he should be the starter again,” Sherman said on his podcast. “People forget that Aaron [Rodgers] didn’t start his first year and didn’t start his second year. [The 49ers] are so ready to rush him in there and they’re rushing him in there with expectation and that’s the hardest thing to do, because everybody’s like ‘look what Josh Allen did.’ And it’s like Josh Allen’s first couple years he wasn’t this Josh Allen. Then it’s like ‘look at Patrick Mahomes’ and it’s like yeah but Patrick Mahomes had his growing pains as well and it’s cool what he’s doing, but if you send him in with those expectations, you have nothing but disappointment.”
The numbers would say that Sherman’s point here is a half truth. Yes Josh Allen struggled his first season, going 5-6 as a starter while throwing 10 touchdowns to 12 picks. Mahomes did not. He threw 50 TD passes in his first season as a starter, led his team to the NFC Championship and was named a first-team All-Pro.
That point notwithstanding, Sherman believes Garoppolo’s record as the 49ers’ starting QB, 34-15 including the postseason, is being taken for granted.
“Jimmy is winning ball games, Jimmy has a winning record and has won games and got you to the playoffs again,” Sherman said. “It’s a lack of appreciation and it’s really sad because the appreciation isn’t going to start when Trey [Lance] starts playing quarterback, because you’re not even appreciating winning. Some of these fans aren’t even appreciating the win.
“So when you sit there and say that — and they’re saying that as if they would expect Trey to come in and be perfect and that’s unfair to Trey.”
Lance has been far from perfect in the two games he’s started this season, but appeared to show a vast improvement in the second half of his second start vs. the Texans a few weeks ago. Lance is still only 21, and is basically two years removed from playing starting quarterback consistently, during the 2019 season at the North Dakota State.
“It’s almost like recency bias and people wanting everything to be (perfect). Because if (Trey) doesn’t come in there and have success, they’re going to crucify him,” Sherman said. “And that’s unfair to him. It’s like hey, he’s following a quarterback who is really good and really winning, so if he comes in here and isn’t threading the needle or if he overthrows a couple passes or if he throws a few interceptions, you’re going to crucify him like this instead of saying ‘okay, let him develop, let him take his time.’
“And that’s the part where I think Jimmy G needs to continue to stay, because while they have this window they want immediate success. These fans are like ‘hey I want it now.” I’m not sure you would get that immediately with Trey, just because he’s a young quarterback. He may go off immediately and be an All-Pro, but if he’s not, it gets to be a really messy situation.”
Like Greg Papa, Sherman believes even if Lance is ready to start, the 49ers should keep Garoppolo on the roster.
“And you don’t want to (start Lance) without Jimmy there,” Sherman said. “Because if you do it, and you’re like ‘Woah this is a bit much for him early,’ that’s it. There are no arguments, no debates anymore. No ‘where’s Jimmy?’ No Jimmy to save you, it’s going to be like oh you wanted to get rid of Jimmy, now you gotta reap what you sow.
“There have been few and far between rookies who have come into this game ready to dominate and play at the level the fans expect them to play. But he’s the new, shiny thing so the fans are like ‘well put him in.’ It’s like Jimmy has won you guys like 50 games (34) or something crazy.”