There are several things the National Football League just wouldn’t be the same without, and hugs are one of them. There are joyous hugs of celebration, hugs of somber commiseration, touchdown hugs, interception hugs, pregame and postgame hugs, bro hugs, bear hugs and even hugs where the participants’ hearts aren’t really in it, something a friend once insisted was known as a “shrug hug.” We don’t talk a lot about hugs, perhaps because they are so common, but in the case of Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance and the weird seat-warming saga going on in San Francisco, we’ll make an exception. Last Sunday, Garoppolo, the 49ers starting quarterback, and Lance, the rookie drafted to eventually (or perhaps imminently) replace him, shared a hug. They did so during the team’s 41-33 victory over the Detroit Lions, in the moments after Lance had come in toward the end of a drive and thrown his first career pass for a touchdown. It happened over by the 49ers sideline and it was sweet, uplifting and yep, really freaking awkward all at the same time. It wasn’t exactly the hug heard around the world – because hugs don’t really get “heard,” do they? However, it was enough to make us realize one thing about the QB situation in the Bay Area. Whatever happens from this point forward, it is going to be a strange situation, all season long. “That’s not an easy hug to give,” former NFL QB Mark Sanchez said on the FOX broadcast. When interviewed postgame, Garoppolo, with somewhat surprising candor, agreed. “He’s not wrong,” Garoppolo said with a laugh. “It’s an it-is-what-it-is type of situation. It’s just one of those things that you can only control what you can control. And I’m out there with my boys, making the best of it, having a good time. And at the end of the day, we’re playing football, trying to get a win. So, whatever it takes. “This league, it’s crazy how things happen. You’ve just got to roll with the punches and let the chips fall as they may at the end. And we’ll see where everything is at the end.” It ends, almost certainly, with Garoppolo playing for another team, but we’ll get to that momentarily. Garoppolo was in charge for the vast majority of the game, going 17-for-25 with 314 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers will visit the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 and would love to begin the campaign with a pair of road wins to build some momentum. Frankly, they look good on both sides of the ball. Is it possible for a team to be in a really strong position and yet simultaneously be in a bind? Plenty of organizations would be delighted to have a QB that took them to a Super Bowl less than two years ago running the show, with a youngster who smacks of smarts and potential waiting in the wings and backing him up. The 49ers went all-in to get Lance during the offseason, sending a treasure trove package to the Miami Dolphins in order to move up to the No. 3 pick, which, of course, they used to select the signal-caller from North Dakota State. That put Garoppolo on the clock and effectively ensured he has no long-term future in San Francisco, making this campaign an effective audition to determine where he lands next and how much he gets paid for it. The worst-case scenario is that Garoppolo plays bad but not terribly, pushing the 49ers into a position where the temptation is to thrust Lance into action earlier than they would ideally like. Until the changeover, such an outcome would increase the awkwardness and become a talking point hanging over the team. The best-case scenario is that Garoppolo thrives, taking a talented team toward a position where they can contend for a deep playoff run and giving Lance time to grow and learn while being given occasional snaps in certain situations. Yet that situation has a similar effect in some ways. Moving on from Garoppolo appears to be set in stone right now, but what if the 49ers go 13-4 with him under center? It’s going to be a hot button issue, with plenty of disagreement, no matter what. On “First Things First,” FS1’s Nick Wright predicted that the period following a Week 10 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams could be a tipping point, arguing that a string of subsequent games against relatively weak defenses might allow for a seamless introduction for the rookie. “If Trey Lance is showing a grasp of the offense showing growth throughout the season, there is a spot where even if Jimmy G is healthy I think it makes sense,” Wright said. FOX Bet lists the 49ers as three-point favorites against Philadelphia, which has gone through the whole QB switcheroo thing themselves, with Jalen Hurts now in control after Carson Wentz moved on to the Indianapolis Colts. 49ers fans can be forgiven for not knowing what to wish for. Even a rousing 2-0 start and things are going to be uncomfortable. There is sympathy to be had for both Garoppolo, who is operating in a situation that comes with a mix of embarrassment and the permanent need to look over his shoulder, and Lance, who is learning from a guy whose job he’ll poach, sooner or later. The best way to feel better when things are tense and awkward? A hug, of course. But even the most satisfying squeeze can’t fix everything, and it can’t fix every part of this conundrum. If the 49ers keep winning, though, does it even need fixing? Here’s what others have said … Steve Young, NFL Hall of Famer: “The whole thing is fraught with terror, right?” Nick Wright, First Things First: “Jimmy G has a very defined ceiling… There is going to be a moment this season when he confirms what most of us already know.” Marcellus Wiley, Speak For Yourself: “You can get too cute in these situations. You want the best of both worlds and might end up with nothing at all.” |
