Comebacks are the theme of 2019 for the 49ers, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is a popular Comeback Player of the Year choice. Doug Farrar of the Touchdown Wire had San Francisco’s quarterback at the top of a list of nine leading candidates for the award. How might Garoppolo stay ahead of the pack and take home the honor at the end of the year? It may come down to his ability to take a step back.
It looked Garoppolo was primed for a huge 2018 after he rattled off five wins in a row for a bad 49ers club to finish the 2017 season. He was among the NFL’s most dangerous passers across those five starts and looked primed to lead an improved iteration of the team to a playoff berth in 2018.
A torn ACL for Garoppolo derailed that notion in Week 3 last season, but his performances prior to that injury left a little to be desired. His completion rate dropped below 60 percent, and his decision-making didn’t seem to be as sharp as it was the year prior.
Taking a step backward decision-making after a full offseason to learn the offense pointed to perhaps a bigger issue for Garoppolo. However, injuries in the receiving corps and on the offensively line put perhaps a worse team around the 49ers’ quarterback than the one he worked with to close 2017.
San Francisco’s front office made a concerted effort in the offseason to put more weapons on the perimeter and bolster the depth on the offensive line.
Now it’s up to Garoppolo to step in and utilize his new teammates.
Assuming there are no medical setbacks and Garoppolo plays 16 games, his Comeback Player of the Year candidacy will rest on him getting back to his 2017 form.
That year he was terrific at getting the ball out of his hands quickly, hitting on short throws and on deep shots. He was orchestrating the offense like he’d been in it for four years, not four weeks.
In 2018 there was a noticeable regression. He looked like he was forcing more throws down the field and struggling with accuracy in short and intermediate routes. Perhaps it was a lack of rapport with his pass catchers, or a desire to make bigger plays with added comfort in the offense. Either way, he looked less like the future All Pro the team saw at the end of the 2017 campaign.
Another year picking up where he left off in 2018 likely means a lackluster season for San Francisco and Garoppolo falling out of the Comeback Player of the Year contention.
On the other hand, he’s had success in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme. The skill set is all there. New weapons in the passing game and better health from the players around him should give Garoppolo all the support he needs to rekindle the success he had in 2017.
If he has that type of year with a small uptick in production across 16 games, where he completes 67 percent of his throws for over 4500 yards with something near 30 touchdowns – the 49ers will win a ton of games, and Garoppolo will be a shoo-in for the Comeback Player of the Year Award.
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