Sorry Pats fans, it sure sounds like Jimmy G will be 49ers' QB in 2021

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The New England Patriots need to upgrade at quarterback before the 2021 NFL season, and one name that is often brought up when speculating potential fits is Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Patriots traded Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers during the 2017 season, and he's had a mostly successful career with the NFC West franchise. He led the team to a Super Bowl LIV berth in 2019 but injuries derailed his 2020 campaign.

For the Patriots to acquire Garoppolo, he must be traded or released. He's under contract through the 2022 season.

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While there have been plenty of rumors, debate and speculation over Garoppolo's future in San Francisco, it doesn't sound like 49ers general manager John Lynch has any plans to move on from the 29-year-old quarterback at this time.

Lynch was recently asked on the Eye Test for Two Podcast, "If he is injury-free, is there any doubt in your mind that Jimmy Garoppolo is your quarterback when you line up in September?" Lynch quickly responded, "Not at all. I really believe that." 

It makes sense for the 49ers to keep Garoppolo for at least another year.

When healthy, he's a top 15 quarterback in pro football. The 49ers have won 24 of the 33 games he's started for them. Garoppolo also is a very accurate passer.

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There were a lot of reasons why the 49ers took a step back in 2020 after winning the NFC championship the previous year. Injuries were a huge factor, and Garoppolo wasn't the only impact player who missed a chunk of the season.

A healthy Garoppolo would make the 49ers a contender in the division and give them a good chance of returning to the playoffs. Unless they can find a better quarterback, there's no reason for them to move on from a good player in Garoppolo.

Even if Garoppolo remains with the 49ers, the Patriots will have several other options in their pursuit of a quarterback. They can target a different one via trade, they could look at the free agent market with their abundance of salary cap space or they could select one in the 2021 NFL Draft.

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