Jimmy’s getting paid.
Eventually. One way or the other.
With the rookie deal of 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo officially expired and the 49ers facing a deadline for applying the franchise tag, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that talks between Garoppolo and the 49ers “have gained significant momentum, and a deal could get done in the near future.”
Whatever the timeline for agreeing to terms on a multi-year contract, it remains critical for Garoppolo that he force the 49ers to apply the franchise tag before he signs a new contract. Beyond the fact that the one-year tag becomes the starting point for the several-year contract that replaces it, the 26-year-old Garoppolo would be wise to start racking up franchise tags early, so that eventually he’ll have the leverage of a 44-percent raise, which comes with the third career tag.
Some believe that agent Don Yee, who represented Tom Brady through multiple below-market contracts with the Patriots, will try to make up for that by maxing out Garoppolo’s financial windfall. That won’t happen over the long haul unless Garoppolo and Yee make it clear to the 49ers that there won’t be a long-term deal until the window closes on the application of the franchise tag.