49ers still view Jimmy Garoppolo as their QB of the future?

Jimmy Garoppolo signed a massive contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers two years ago, but that does not necessarily mean the team will stick with him going forward. For now, however, that is still the plan.

Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network said this week that he has been told the 49ers still view Garoppolo as their quarterback of the future. Although, San Francisco is expected to enter the draft with an open mind at the position and would not pass up an opportunity to draft a QB early. Pauline compares the situation to what happened with the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round this year despite having Carson Wentz.

Garoppolo will miss at least the next six weeks with an ankle injury he has been battling since Week 2. He could be out longer if he requires surgery. The 49ers will almost certainly use this as an opportunity to evaluate how the team can perform without Garoppolo, though George Kittle is going to miss at least two months with an injury as well.

The Niners will have paid out all of the guaranteed money on Garoppolo’s contract by the start of the 2021 league year, which means they will have the option of releasing him next season and avoiding his roughly $26 million salary for the next two years. A recent report speculated that they could consider doing just that.

Finding a franchise quarterback is arguably the most difficult thing for an NFL team to do. Garoppolo led the Niners to the Super Bowl last year, though he did not play particularly well in the big game. Even if general manager John Lynch thinks he can do better at the position, San Francisco could certainly be in worse shape.