There is plenty of hype surrounding the San Francisco 49ers going into the 2018 NFL season. At the forefront of this camaraderie is the emergence of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garoppolo‘s stellar start to his career has resulted in some high expectations for San Francisco. Even former NFL quarterback David Carr listed him as the 10th-best quarterback on NFL.com.
The careers of Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Osweiler, both with small sample sizes of game play before signing massive contracts, couldn’t be more different. After helping the Broncos go 5-2 as the team’s starter during its run to Super Bowl 50, Osweiler was average at best in Houston. He’s jumped around since his short stint with the Texans and is currently a backup in Miami. Jimmy on the other hand has flourished with his new team, recording a 5-0 record last year as a starter under Kyle Shanahan. Garoppolo changed the course of the season for a 49ers team that didn’t get its first win until Week 10. This is a prove-it season for him. Can he continue to win?
This is a rather favorable ranking for Garoppolo. Carr's ranking puts him ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. This is a bit far-fetched considering Garoppolo‘s sample size compared to the players mentioned above.
Although Rothlisberger has seen better days, he is still a two-time Super Bowl champ and leader of one of the most high-powered offenses in the league. Meanwhile, Wentz is coming off a breakout 2017 campaign. He was in the midst of an MVP-caliber year before suffering the severe knee injury. That said, it is still hard to completely justify Garoppolo‘s status at the moment.
Regardless, the undefeated start to his career has to be taken into consideration. The 49ers' offense was nothing short of abysmal before Garoppolo made his debut. The spotlight will now be on him and the rest of San Francisco this upcoming season.
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