Jimmy Garoppolo's late-season performance sends the San Francisco 49ers into the offseason with more optimism than typical for a team with a losing record.
Now the most important task of the offseason is locking up Garoppolo with a long-term deal.
"We're going to work hard to try to keep him as a 49er for a long, long time," general manager John Lynch said Tuesday. "We're really happy with the way he played. We think he's got some abilities that are unique and we want him here."
Garoppolo's arrival totally transformed a team that began the season with nine straight losses under first-year coach Kyle Shanahan and ended it with five straight wins after Garoppolo took over as starter. He threw for 1,542 yards during those starts and looked the part of a franchise quarterback the Niners (6-10) hoped they had acquired when they dealt a second-round pick to New England at the trade deadline, the story said.
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