John Lynch: “We Want Jimmy Garoppolo To Be A Niner For A Long, Long Time”

On Tuesday, 49ers GM John Lynch told reporters that they want to keep Jimmy Garoppolo in place as their quarterback for a “long, long time.”

“We want Jimmy to be a Niner for a long, long time,” Lynch said, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Bay Area. “That process is going to take place here, and we’re eager to get that done — to have the opportunity.”

Lynch added that he’s spoken to Garoppolo and they know where he stands.

“We’re going to work hard to keep him as a 49er for a long, long time,” Lynch said, per Maiocco “We want him here.”

As for Garopplo, he said believes they’re a “perfect match.”

“It was a good match between the 49ers and myself, and myself and the 49ers,” Garoppolo said. “I think it was kind of the perfect match and it happened at the right time, and good things are coming from it.”

Garoppolo said that the two parties haven’t really gotten that far in regards to contract talks, given that the season just ended.

“I really haven’t had a chance to think about it,” Garoppolo said. “I think the season just ended, you know. We have a long ways to go and everything. When we get those conversations started, we’ll go from there.”

Garoppolo is going to cash big on the open market, either by signing a long-term deal with the 49ers or receiving the franchise tag.

Garoppolo, 26, is a former second-round pick of the Patriots back in 2014. He is entering the final year of his four-year, $3,483,898 rookie contract and stands to make a base salary of $820,077 to go along with a $75,000 workout bonus for the 2017 season.

The Patriots traded him to the 49ers at this year’s draft deadline in return for a 2018 second-round pick.

Garoppolo is in line to be an unrestricted free agent in the coming months.

In 2017, Garoppolo appeared in six games and threw for 1,560 yards while completing 67.4 percent of his passes to go along with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 10 quarterback out of 40 qualifying players.

We have him featured in our Top 25 – 2018 NFL Free Agents list.