49ers Rumors: Jimmy Garoppolo 'Under Evaluation,' Could Be Replaced in 2021

Jimmy Garoppolo led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl last season, but his role with the team is far from secure.

"It's wait and see," a source told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. "He's still under evaluation. It could go in a few different directions, and is it possible he's not the guy next year? That's fair. I don't think that's lost on anybody."

La Canfora added that inconsistent play and the quarterback's recent injured ankle could ensure the team keeps its options open for next season.

Garoppolo has a $26.9 million cap hit for 2021, but the team would be responsible for only $2.8 million in dead cap if he is released or traded before the season, per Spotrac.

San Francisco has already paid most of the guarantees in the initial five-year, $137.5 million contract.

Garoppolo played well in 2019, totaling 3,978 passing yards with 27 touchdowns while helping his team finish 13-3 during the regular season. His 102.0 quarterback rating was eighth-best in the NFL. 

However, the oft-injured player had never started more than five games in a season before last year, and his high-ankle sprain already cost him two games in 2020.

The numbers have also suffered with just 735 passing yards and seven touchdowns in four games. His yards per game is down from last season (248.6 to 183.8) and so is his completion percentage (69.1 to 63.6).

It's a small sample size, but the 49ers are just 3-3 to start the season, which is good for last place in the competitive NFC West.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan could look for another option to lead the team if Garoppolo doesn't improve.

"Kyle thinks he can turn almost anyone into a star," a source said. "He's had a lot of success with a lot of different guys and the salary structure on that team has changed dramatically the last few years. He's not a guy who thinks he needs a $30 million a year QB to win. And they aren't exactly gushing about the guy that they have now."

Another option could be reuniting Shanahan with one of the players he previously worked with as an offensive coordinator. He coached Matt Ryan with the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins with the Washington Football Team, and both could be available as their 1-5 teams look for fresh starts at the position.