Jimmy Garoppolo contract sets quarterback market

The San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo agreed to a contract extension on Thursday that makes Garoppolo the highest paid quarterback in the NFL, on a per year average basis. The new 5-year, $137.5 million deal with $74 million guaranteed sets the baseline for the upcoming quarterback market, which will most certainly involve to-be free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins and some other quarterbacks looking to sign extensions.

It’s not a surprise that Garoppolo got big money from the 49ers, considering they’re flush with cap room and certainly were not going to let the quarterback who turned their team around in the last part of the season hit the open market.

The numbers on Garoppolo’s deal scream huge, but it’s actually quite less than a lot of people thought it would be. While it does pay him on average $27.5 million per season, the real part that matters is that $74 million guaranteed and how that is structured. Given the 49ers cap situation, I would assume they’ll front load the heck out of that guaranteed money. As for guaranteed money, Garoppolo now ranks as the third highest paid, behind Andrew Luck ($87M) and Matthew Stafford ($92M).

My guess would be Kirk Cousins costs slightly higher, guaranteed wise, than Garoppolo, but less than both Luck and Stafford. Something like ... 5-years, $142.5 million and like... $80 guaranteed.