Reporters got their first glimpse of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo throwing since that Week 3 matchup last year during which he suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Garoppolo is eight months removed from the injury, and the expectation is that he will be fully cleared for training camp and line up under center during Week 1 of the regular season.
Garoppolo is getting a good amount of work during organized team activities, which kicked off this week. He is doing everything except 11-on-11 team drills. Even though the practices do not involve contact, there is no need to expose the quarterback to unnecessary risk.
"The downfield throws, I'm able to make those finally and everything," Garoppolo told reporters on Tuesday. "Just about every throw is doable now."
While Garoppolo feels good in his progress, he knows that he hasn't yet had to make the awkward movements that can't be predicted during non-contact practices, like throwing outside the pocket and avoiding defenders.
"It's coming together nicely, though," he added.
Garoppolo is happy to be back out there looking at defenders.
"Just getting the reps of 7-on-7, and seeing the defense, safeties, things like that, it's good to be back out there and being able to see all that stuff again," he said.
Garoppolo has been wearing a brace on his left leg and plans to continue doing so during the upcoming season, and possibly beyond.
"It's titanium or something like that," he explained. "Real lightweight. Once I'm out there moving around and stuff, I don't even feel it. The first couple of weeks, it was weird, but after that, you get used to it."
One player who is impressed with Garoppolo's progress is veteran cornerback Richard Sherman. He noted one play during Tuesday's practice where he felt he could get to a Garoppolo-thrown pass.
"He threw a ball that if the receiver doesn't get it, there's no way I can get it, but if he throws it anywhere else, I can take it," Sherman said. "It was just a great ball. It was a confident throw from him. It was exactly what you want to see from your quarterback."
The video below is courtesy of Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.