John Lynch has extremely high praise for Jimmy Garoppolo

There has been some dispute over Jimmy Garoppolo’s future with the San Francisco 49ers after the team traded for him. If general manager John Lynch’s comments are any indication, though, Garoppolo has a huge fan heading the team’s front office.

Lynch told KNBR Friday morning that he thinks his own NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could have been much more title-laden had he been able to play with a quarterback of Garoppolo’s caliber.

“I say, man, I could have had five rings if I had a guy like that because in Tampa we never had that,” Lynch said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “To me, I think great leaders, great players … I think the greatest quality that you can’t measure: Do they make people around them better?’ I don’t think you can argue that he didn’t do that for everybody on the field the other day.”

Lynch quickly tempered expectations, though, noting that Garoppolo’s steady debut was just one game.

“That was impressive to watch, but it was just one start,” Lynch said. “I think everyone can be excited but also pump the brakes and say, ‘Hey, let’s go see what we do this week.’ I’m excited for that opportunity.”

There had been some talk that the 49ers did not view Garoppolo as a long-term solution. Lynch could just be saying things, but taking his words at face value, that certainly doesn’t seem to be true.