49ers notebook: Shanahan plans to keep Garoppolo in 2021; Aiyuk done for season
It would seem the biggest question facing the 49ers this offseason revolves around the fate of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
But head coach Kyle Shanahan ahead of the regular season finale this week addressed the speculation about Garoppolo’s uncertain future, as he did in November.
“Yes, I do believe Jimmy’s going to be our quarterback next year,” Shanahan reiterated Monday via Zoom in his first session with reporters since Saturday’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
San Francisco could move on from Garoppolo, who’s appeared in six games this season, given the little guaranteed money left in his contract. But the options to replace him are hardly a slam dunk. They could trade for a veteran or draft a prospect that would be on a more team-friendly contract. Garoppolo will count for $26.9 million against the salary cap in 2021.
Shanahan’s endorsement for Garoppolo was strong, but he wouldn’t make a concrete guarantee about next season.
“You can’t say anything with certainty. You don’t sit here and make promises on anything,” Shanahan said. “We build a football team, it’s your job to put the best team together year in and year out.”
And like the team did last offseason, when Shanahan and general manager John Lynch admitted to evaluating Tom Brady as a free agent, the 49ers are going to keep their options open.
“Now, you look into every avenue, and you see if there’s something out there that can get you a ton better, it’s the same answer for every position,” Shanahan said. “But look at Jimmy, look at what he’s done, look at where he’s at with us financially, and we better have a very good answer if you’re going to find something better than that. Jimmy’s shown in one year he’s a guy that can take us to the Super Bowl, and I also think Jimmy’s going to get a lot better the more he plays.”
The 49ers are 22-8 in regular season games (2-1 in the playoffs) started by Garoppolo since he was acquired via trade from the New England Patriots in 2017. He missed 12 games in 2018 after tearing his ACL in Week 3 and will likely finish this season having missed 10 games with two high ankle sprains to his right plant leg.
Garoppolo started all 16 games in one season, 2019, when he helped his team reach the Super Bowl as the top seed in the NFC. That team, of course, had the league’s second-ranked rushing attack and top-rated pass defense.
Garoppolo was also 31st in air yards per pass attempt, 6.5, (Drew Brees was 32nd at 6.4) and Garoppolo had just eight pass attempts in last season’s NFC title game. Garoppolo this season completed just 1 of 10 throws longer than 20 yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus, while the majority of his playing time came on his balky ankle.
Garoppolo signed a five-year, $137.5 million contract in February of 2018 after going 5-0 as San Francisco’s starter at the end of 2017, helping the 49ers become the first team in NFL history to finish 6-10 after beginning the year 0-9.
Garoppolo’s contract was frontloaded with a $28 million roster bonus that gave him a $37 million cap number in his first year of the deal when the 49ers were among the league leaders and cap space. Garoppolo’s cap figures have leveled off since, apparently leaving Shanahan comfortable with the financial details of his contract. He has two years remaining on his deal.
Shanahan said Garoppolo’s contract is middle-of-the-pack relative to other signal-callers, saying he was somewhere in teens when it came to price. “That’s how much they cost,” Shanahan said.
According to Overthecap.com, Garoppolo’s $26.9 million cap hit ranks 11th among quarterbacks under contract for next season, which doesn’t include Cowboys starter Dak Prescott, who played this season on the $31.4 million franchise tag before getting injured. Prescott could get tagged again in 2021.
Shanahan was asked how he evaluates Garoppolo’s season given the limited playing time because of the injury.
“I think he would have taken steps forward and it would’ve been great for him to play this year,” he said. “After what he got playing the year before, being able to go through his first full season, I think regardless of how it started out, it would have been a good experience for him to only get better. The injuries he had kind of took the year from him.”
Garoppolo had his practice window opened last week as he continues to work back from his second high ankle sprain suffered in early November against the Seahawks. Shanahan said Monday Garoppolo is unlikely to be added to the active roster this week, noting the team is hoping practice squad quarterback Josh Johnson could return from the reserve/COVID-19 list by Thursday to be available as the backup to C.J. Beathard on Sunday.
If not, the 49ers will likely call on the recently acquired Josh Rosen to serve as Beathard’s backup for the second straight week.
Aiyuk to miss regular season finale
Promising rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk won’t break Jerry Rice’s rookie receiving record after all. Shanahan revealed Monday Aiyuk suffered a high ankle sprain early in Saturday’s game and won’t play in the finale against Seattle.
Aiyuk reported pain to the training staff during the first quarter Saturday and had his ankle re-taped. It was more painful than he anticipated in the days after the game which led to getting the ankle examined.
“The way it swelled up, he came in and said it hurt worse than he thought and we just got an MRI and found out about the high ankle,” Shanahan said.
Aiyuk finished his first NFL season with 60 catches for 748 yards with five receiving touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. His receiving total is the third best among San Francisco rookie receivers behind Rice’s 927 in 1985 and current teammate Deebo Samuel’s 802 last season.
Shanahan said Aiyuk’s first season set the bar high for what to expect as his career unfolds. He’s hoping he can continue to be a prominent weapon, alongside Samuel, whose season was awash with foot and hamstring injuries.
“I was real happy with Aiyuk,” said Shanahan. “I’m real excited about him going into year two and just even talking with him before the game (Saturday) and just understanding on what the expectations are for him. He’s here for a reason and it’s to really help us out, which he did this year.
“But him and Deebo have gotten both their rookie years out of the way now. Deebo didn’t get a chance, really, at a second year, but I expect both of those guys to have a very good offseason and come back ready to take it to another level to help our offense out.”
▪ Shanahan provided updates on other injured players ahead of the finale.
Left tackle Trent Williams sprained his elbow and will miss Sunday. He suffered the injury in the first quarter against Arizona but returned to the game. The injury won’t require surgery, Shanahan said.
Safety Tarvarius Moore (ankle sprain), offensive lineman Justin Skule (knee sprain), defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (knee swelling) and defensive end Dion Jordan (knee) are day to day.
Slot cornerback K’Waun Williams is expected to play after suffering a shin contusion. Defensive end Jordan Willis (high ankle sprain) is out.
Richard Sherman (calf) and Samuel (hamstring) have already been ruled out. Safety Jimmie Ward remains in the concussion protocol and is questionable for Sunday.
This story was originally published December 28, 2020 at 5:14 PM.
