John Lynch just may know what he's doing.
As his team sits 0-8, with five of those losses coming by one score, Lynch took a look at the holes in his roster and determined he had an opportunity to have his cake and eat it too.
The San Francisco 49ers first-year general manager reportedly pulled off a blockbuster deal Monday evening, acquiring quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots for a second-round pick - the same round the passer was selected in, in 2014.
With the move, the 49ers checked off a box that many teams have been hoping to do, getting a potential franchise quarterback who's still in his prime. San Francisco had been assumed to be a team in the hunt for one of the passers in the 2018 draft class with their top pick, going after the likes of unproven prospects Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, or another college quarterback.
While still keeping that top pick, Lynch managed to bring in a 26-year-old with a more complete resume than that of any collegiate player. Garoppolo has three-and-a-half seasons of experience behind Tom Brady, two Super Bowl rings as a backup, and legitimate experience starting NFL games, which he won.
| Game | Score | Yards | Comp. % | TDs | INTs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| at ARI | 23-21 | 264 | 72.7 | 1 | 0 |
| vs. MIA* | 31-24 | 232 | 69.2 | 3 | 0 |
*Exited game in second quarter due to injury
The Patriots liked Garoppolo so much that they reportedly turned down trades for first-rounders last spring, with the hope they could keep the young quarterback on the roster long enough to eventually replace Brady. Unfortunately for New England, it couldn't get the return it reportedly wanted when the time came to deal the quarterback, whose contract expires after this season.
Garoppolo may be the ideal veteran to speed up the 49ers' rebuild. Apart from his background with the most successful organization, Garropolo has drawn comparisons to Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins by the team's former GM Scot McCloughan, who is regarded as one of the best evaluators in the NFL. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had plenty of success with Cousins in Washington and rumored to want to bring him to San Francisco this offseason.
The 49ers certainly have more holes to fill on their roster outside of the quarterback position, but they have what will likely be a top-five pick - due to their current record - and still keep the New Orleans Saints' second-rounder from a deal during the last draft.
In his first year as an executive, after going from the field to the broadcast booth, Lynch has pulled off a minor miracle by bringing in what would have been the most coveted quarterback in the NFL if he hit the market in March, without jeopardizing the team's future. Garoppolo's expiring contract means the 49ers will have to pay up and pay up soon, but that's fine - the 49ers currently have over $60 million in cap space.
While two solid starts may not be enough of a sample size to inspire the entire 49ers fan base to run out, buy a Garoppolo jersey, re-up their season tickets, and book a trip to next year's Super Bowl, Lynch should be ecstatic with his performance based on what it usually takes to acquire a potential franchise quarterback.
