Jimmy Garoppolo’s name came up a lot this month in conjunction with an ESPN report about the Patriots’ 2017 season, including the trade that sent Garoppolo to the 49ers in October.
The circumstances of that trade came up again when Tom Brady was dealing with a hand injury that threw some focus on backup Brian Hoyer. There’s been less chatter about any contract talks with the 49ers, but that changed on Wednesday when General Manager John Lynch talked about it at the Senior Bowl.
Lynch didn’t offer any major updates while reiterating that getting a deal done that keeps Garoppolo on the team for a long time is their priority this offseason.
“He was a great addition to our team -- kind of a game-changer,” Lynch said on NFL Network, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “When you find the right guy at that position, it’s really good for your franchise. We believe we found the right guy. Now the challenge is getting Jimmy signed. We’re working hard toward that. We’ll see. I think he wants to be with us, and we want him there. It makes too much sense for it not to happen. It’s just a matter of getting it done.”
The first date to keep in mind as the process unfolds is March 6, which is the deadline for the 49ers to use the franchise tag. They’ll do that if no longer deal is in place and would then have until July 15 to work out a multi-year agreement.