Jimmy G’s Exit Benefits Niners

The relationship between the 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo will come to an amicable end, even after failing to win a title while he was under center.

The veteran quarterback all but said he’ll be moving on despite the year remaining on his contract, saying Tuesday, “It’s been a hell of a ride” with San Francisco. 

It’s a win-win situation: Garoppolo wants to play for another contender, and the 49ers have the financial motivation to accommodate him.

• Garoppolo signed a five-year, $137.5 million deal with a then-record yearly average salary of $27.5 million in February of 2018.
• By dealing him prior to the start of the new league year on March 16, the 49ers would save $25.5 million under the salary cap.
• The 30-year-old is the 10th-highest-paid player in the NFL.

Garoppolo went 31-14 as a starter and led the Niners to a Super Bowl appearance, but they drafted Trey Lance in last year’s draft.

There will be many suitors for Garoppolo — as many as 10 teams could be looking for a new starter in 2022, including the Steelers, Texans, Broncos, Commanders, and Buccaneers.

“We’ve done right by each other just throughout this whole relationship,” Garoppolo said. “We’ll work it out one way or another.”