Don’t look now but the San Francisco 49ers could be headed back to their glory years. No, I don’t mean the Colin Kaepernick short-term kind, I’m talking Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Roger Craig dominance. And the funny thing is, no one saw it coming. Now, to be fair, it’s not officially here or etched in stone, but thanks to Jimmy Garoppolo, the future is looking as bright as ever.
When Garoppolo took over the quarterback situation for the 49ers they were 1-10 and headed for the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. In his four starts, according to Sports Reference, Garoppolo has passed C.J. Beathard and Brian Hoyer in yards passing, touchdowns and completion percentage. I repeat, he has done that in less than a handful of games. But beyond the stats, is the fact that the San Francisco 49ers are 4-0 under for the former Tom Brady understudy.
No matter what happens in week 17 against the Los Angles Rams, Garoppolo has proved to the 49ers brass that they could look elsewhere in the draft.
Moving forward, Garoppolo has paved the way for the Niners to get back to respectability around the NFL. With four straight wins, the 49ers will be a hot destination for free agents and trades. With the Niners now having a quarterback who can hit receivers on the fly, that could force soon-to-be free agents like Devante Adams, Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson and Jarvis Landry to give the Bay Area a second look.
“Jimmy is playing at a very high level right now.” -Kyle Shanahan #JAXvsSF pic.twitter.com/lbN7LIQUjY
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 25, 2017
With the 49ers set in the backfield with a possible return of Carlos Hyde (if they resign him) and Matt Brieda, the Niners will look to upgrade their receiving core. The defense is young but as the offense has finally hit their stride, the defense has not been too far behind. What started out as another year of lost opportunities, has now turned into an offseason of promise and a future full of hope.
Carlos Hyde on expectations for 2018 based on how 2017 has finished, “Next year we’re going to the Super Bowl.”
Jimmy Garoppolo on Hyde saying that, “I’ll have to talk to him about that. We’re dealing w/the Rams next week and then we’ll look at everything else after that.” pic.twitter.com/xQMpGGOIHj
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) December 25, 2017
Maybe in a year or two, the New England Patriots will look back on this trade and slap themselves for letting Garoppolo go. But by then, if Carlos Hyde is a prophet, the San Francisco 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo will have a Super Bowl championship under their belts.