Predicting each NFL teams starting quarterback on opening day 2019
By Jake Starr
San Francisco 49ers: Jimmy Garoppolo
The only concern regarding San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is whether his health will permit him to be on the field when the 2019 season begins. Garoppolo tore his ACL back on September 23rd and is in the process of rehabbing from that injury.
San Francisco went 4-12 this season and saw some potential out of quarterback Nick Mullens, who went 3-5. So if Garoppolo wasn’t able to start the season, then San Francisco would have confidence in letting Mullens lead the charge until Garoppolo returns.
Looking at the timeline, Garoppolo will be about 11-and-a-half months removed from surgery when next season begins and most ACL recoveries span 9-12 months. The 49ers could always be extra cautious and hold him out until 12-months, but it appears he should be good to go for opening day.
A quarterback that was coming off a torn-ACL in 2018 was Carson Wentz. Wentz tore his ACL in December of 2017 and was back on September 23rd, the same day Garoppolo suffered his injury. Garoppolo is going to be way ahead of where Wentz was by September of 2019, so there is little reason to believe he won’t be out there when the season begins.
If he is not yet good to go, then it will likely be Mullens to start the season. But, the 49ers plan to have Garoppolo back out on the practice field by early this summer so if all goes well, he should be good to go. The bet should be that Garoppolo will be the starter when the 2019 season begins.