Most people would agree that Jimmy Garoppolo’s foot injury killed the 49ers hopes at a Super Bowl championship this year. But is there a silver lining?
There is according to Colin Cowherd, who argues that Garoppolo’s injury gives San Francisco clarity at the quarterback position. In other words, Jimmy G is no longer looming over the 49ers’ future.
“It’s a good news / bad news,” Cowherd said on his podcast. “It creates clarity. The bad news is, you’re not going to win the Super Bowl. But the good news is, it is now going to be a Trey Lance, Brock Purdy franchise going forward, or Tom Brady. Those rumors will heat up.
“You can move off Garoppolo now. There was so much indecision. We asked this, ‘What do you do with Jimmy Garoppolo?’ Before the season started I said about the Niners, they are the most interesting team in the league, what do you do? Well now, now you have clarity.”
Does it create clarity though? If Purdy struggles, and the 49ers are still unsure about Lance, what is to say the 49ers wouldn’t bring Garoppolo back again? He was playing some of the best football of his career before the injury, an injury which may affect his market value.
Still if Purdy plays well and the 49ers are still high on Lance, Garoppolo’s time with the 49ers is probably over. Whether Tom Brady would still be interested in coming over — or if San Francisco has interest in that — is really anybody’s guess.