5 Long-Term Options for 49ers to Replace Jimmy Garoppolo

The San Francisco 49ers have fallen hard, and as fans consider the possibility of missing the playoffs, the franchise could be thinking about what their long-term plans at quarterback look like without Jimmy Garoppolo under center.

A year after making it to the Super Bowl, injuries have plagued both sides of the ball to start the season. Garoppolo returned for his first action since Week 2 on Sunday due to a high ankle sprain but was pulled at halftime after completing just seven of 17 passes for 77 yards and two interceptions in the 43-17 blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins.

It is only one game for Garoppolo, but it leaves the 49ers sitting at 2-3. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he pulled Jimmy G to protect him, but at some point the team may need to think about what they need out of their franchise quarterback. Despite being in the middle of a five-year contract worth $137.5 million, the 49ers could cut ties with Jimmy G in 2021 and only lose $2.8 million in dead cap space, per Spotrac.

If the 49ers decide to move on from Garoppolo after this season, there are a few potential long-term solutions that they could consider at quarterback.

Trey Lance

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

Drafting a quarterback in the first round should be a real consideration for the 49ers this offseason. It's unlikely that they'll be able to secure the No. 1 overall pick to snag Clemson's Trevor Lawrence given the state of other teams in the league this season, but North Dakota State's Trey Lance could be a more realistic option.

A lot would still need to happen for the 49ers to have a high enough draft pick to land one of this year's top QB prospects. However, back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins indicate there might be some real problems that will need to be resolved this offseason, and things could get worse before they get better.

Lance declared for the NFL draft shortly after the only fall game for the Bisons last week. In 2019, he went the entire season without throwing an interception, completing 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns. His quick and clean throwing mechanics allow him to throw a strikingly accurate ball with consistency.

What makes Lance such an appealing prospect, along with his arm talent, is his ability as a runner. Whether it's extending plays with his legs or simply running read options, Lance ran for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns just last season, averaging 6.5 yards per carry.

At 6'4" and 226 pounds, Lance has the prototypical size for an NFL quarterback. The clean throwing mechanics and athleticism round out a complete QB prospect. He could be a bit more consistent with his deep ball placement, but almost everything else is there.

If the 49ers want a new quarterback to come in and be ready to play right away, Lance would be a smart option in the draft.

Jameis Winston

David Grunfeld/Associated Press

Free agency is also an option for the 49ers if the franchise wants to replace Garoppolo. There are a handful of interesting quarterbacks slated to enter free agency in 2021, but former Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston could be a cheap option with a sky-high ceiling to elevate San Francisco's passing game.

Winston had one of the most unique passing seasons in NFL history in 2019, becoming the first player to ever throw both 30 passing touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He also led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards and 626 passing attempts.

That up-and-down season scared away most NFL teams, but the New Orleans Saints signed Winston to a one-year deal worth just $1.1 million. Winston replaced Teddy Bridgewater as the team's established backup behind Drew Brees, with the potential to replace Brees once he retires if the team decides to re-sign the former No. 1 overall pick.

Compared to some of the other bigger free-agent names at quarterback such as Dak Prescott or Cam Newton, Winston could be a more affordable option. The turnovers are concerning, but he's still only 26 years old and has a full season to learn under one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in New Orleans. 

With all the weapons the 49ers have to offer, Winston could potentially find his long-term home in San Francisco. 

Josh Rosen

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It has been hard for Josh Rosen to find a home in the NFL, bouncing from one franchise to the next over the past couple of seasons. However, maybe it's time for a team to really give Rosen another opportunity to be their franchise quarterback.

Rosen was the 10th overall pick in the 2018 draft, with the Arizona Cardinals seemingly planning on making him their QB of the future. Unfortunately, a weak offensive line and a bad situation overall led to a rough stint with the franchise, where he threw 14 interceptions compared to just 11 touchdowns while being sacked 45 times in 14 games.

After that brutal rookie season, the Cardinals shipped Rosen off to the Miami Dolphins, another team in the process of rebuilding. He played in six games, starting just three of them, while throwing for 567 yards, a touchdown and five interceptions.

Now, Rosen is on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad after being waived by the Dolphins. He is set to be a restricted free agent after this season, and it's unclear if the Buccaneers would be interested in bringing him back. 

While we haven't seen a lot of Rosen at the pro level without constant pressure in his face, the former first-round pick showcased some valuable traits in college. He was an excellent pocket passer with a quick release, and did a great job consistently throwing his receivers open. Those traits could be ideal to work in San Francisco's offensive system.

Like Winston, Rosen may not be the most expensive option in free agency, but he was a talented player in college at UCLA and could be waiting for the right opportunity to prove himself. San Francisco would be a pretty ideal situation to see what Rosen is made of, and if he shows some promise, the 49ers could make him their long-term option at the position.

Justin Fields

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Given how dominant the Dolphins were on Sunday, this season could start getting ugly fast for the 49ers. If that does end up happening, and they end up getting that highly-coveted top-three draft pick, then Ohio State's Justin Fields could be a realistic option to become the next long-term QB for San Francisco.

After transferring from Georgia, Fields took over the starting job for the Buckeyes in 2019 and helped lead them to the College Football Playoff. He threw for 41 touchdowns and just three interceptions, while adding another 10 scores on the ground. Fields helped lead the Buckeyes to a 13-1 record but couldn't get past the Clemson Tigers in the Fiesta Bowl.

Fields only has one year as a starter under his belt, but everything that we've seen so far is that of a legitimate NFL quarterback. He has good zip on the ball and is able to deliver passes accurately from all levels of the field, whether he's standing in the pocket or on the move.

The 2020 Big Ten season will give NFL scouting departments a clearer picture of Fields as an NFL prospect. For the 49ers, if they're convinced that Garoppolo isn't the long-term answer for them under center, Fields would be a dream replacement. 

Dak Prescott

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

It's too early to tell what the future holds for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott after he suffered a devastating ankle injury on Sunday. However, if Prescott is able to rehab and be at 100 percent in 2021 or beyond, there wouldn't be many other options more well-suited to replace Garoppolo.

Prescott spent the entire offseason trying to negotiate a long-term contract with the Cowboys. However, the two sides couldn't come to an agreement, so the 27-year-old signed his franchise tender, leaving contract extension talks until the 2021 offseason. 

However, with Prescott now dealing with a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle, the negotiations will become more complicated than anticipated. There's a real chance that Prescott may not be ready for Week 1 next season, and his camp may not be able to agree to a reasonable extension with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones given the severity of the injury.

The Cowboys should have locked up Prescott before the season started. He was coming off of a career season where he threw for 4,902 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Expectations were even higher this year with a new head coach in Mike McCarthy and a first-round wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb.

It would be understandable for Prescott to harbor some resentment toward the Cowboys for not being able to agree on a contract extension before the 2020 season, only for him to suffer such a serious injury. That, along with other factors, could convince Prescott to test free agency and sign with another team.

If that happens, and medical evaluations give the green light, the 49ers should prepare a big contract for Prescott. It would require some restructuring with contracts currently on the roster, but if the 49ers want another chance at making a Super Bowl run, a quarterback like Prescott could be a difference maker.