Niners give Garoppolo $ 137.5M deal
Jimmy Garoppolo has landed a record payday.
The 49ers and the quarterback have reportedly agreed to a fiveyear, $ 137.5 million contract.
The deal would represent the highest per- year salary in NFL history, exceeding the five- year, $ 135 million deal that Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford got last offseason.
After being acquired at midseason from the Patriots for a 2018 secondround draft pick, Garoppolo went 5- 0 as a starter to help the 49ers close out the year on an NFL- best five- game win streak. He had just completed the final year of his rookie contract.
Garoppolo, 26, finished the year with 1,560 yards and seven touchdown passes with five interceptions on 67.4 percent passing.
But the implications of this deal extend beyond Garoppolo and the 49ers. This is a win for NFL quarterbacks, period.
At least six to eight teams need quarterbacks this offseason, and not all of them have the luxury of owning a high draft pick to select a potential Day 1 starter. Other teams are in win- now mode and just need a quality passer to put them over the top.
Whatever the case, there will be no shortage of teams willing to spend in March.
Kirk Cousins is viewed as the top quarterback set to hit the freeagent market. It was already believed he would draw around $ 28 million to $ 30 million. Now, with the far less experienced Garoppolo having landed this deal, that projection looks more like a certainty.
Garoppolo’s payout will serve as the new floor for many quarterback negotiations. Established passers are sure to demand more, as they will point to a lengthier track record and the continually escalating salaries at the position.