In an offseason apparently defined by perceived slights, the latest "knock" on 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo really isn't much of one.
ESPN's NFL reporters re-drafted the entire league, assigning four foundational players to each team. Each "general manager" had to select a QB, another offensive player, one defensive player and another player regardless of position with the goal of building a core that could win a Super Bowl within five years. Garoppolo, the 15th quarterback off the board, was the No. 19 overall selection.
"Garoppolo stands tall in the pocket, has good accuracy at all levels and is a steadying presence whom teammates flock to," ESPN's Field Yates wrote, analyzing the selections. "He's a solid veteran quarterback."
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So, which 14 signal-callers were taken ahead of the 28-year-old Garoppolo? Each of the last four NFL MVPs (Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and Matt Ryan), two unquestionably elite QBs (Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson), two more surefire Pro Football Hall of Famers on the downswing of their careers (Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers), two others who have started since their rookie year (Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz), arguably the two most impressive rookie QBs from last season (Kyler Murray and Drew Lock) and Teddy Bridgewater.
There are some entries 49ers fans will quibble with, as is the nature of any rankings released in the dog days of an NFL offseason, but Garoppolo's Goldilocksian placement is just right. Our own Josh Schrock pegged Garoppolo at No. 12 in his ranking of the NFL's starting QBs last month, while The Washington Post's Robert Klemko had Garoppolo at No. 13 in a first-round re-draft posted Monday on Twitter.
Garoppolo left points on the board during the 49ers' Super Bowl LIV loss to the Kansas City Chiefs back in February, and they didn't hide the fact they explored signing Tom Brady in free agency. The NFL -- more than any other professional sports league -- is defined by recency bias, so Garoppolo's teammates -- old and new -- and his coach, have publicly defended him at every turn during the offseason in response to questions about whether Garoppolo is the right quarterback to lead the 49ers.
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The 49ers are good enough to win with Garoppolo, and Garoppolo is good enough to lead them. San Francisco's Super Bowl run proved that, and his teammates have been vocal about that being the most important criterion by which he is judged.
Garoppolo can climb up everyone's QB rankings by rewarding the 49ers' faith, but the former is not what drives the latter.