Which Bay Area quarterback would you rather build a team around? That was the question asked on Good Morning Football on Thursday.
Former NFL receiver Steve Smith, who picked Carr, joined Kyle Brandt and Peter Schrager in answering the question. It is important to note that Smith said he has known Carr for a long time. Smith and Carr's older brother, David, were briefly teammates with the Carolina Panthers in 2007. Derek was 16 years old at the time.
"I'm going to go with my boy Carr," Smith said. "I like Jimmy Garoppolo. I love what he's done. Yes, it was a scheme that he effectively did week in and week out. If it's the scheme, there's some quarterbacks who screw up the schemes, so whatever. But Carr, I love Carr because what he is doing. You've seen (him) come back from injuries, he's put up big numbers, he's thrown the ball, he's a gunslinger, he scrambles. He is doing everything that you need and that the Oakland Raiders have desired. They looked for their franchise quarterback, and they have it."
Brandt and Schrager went with Garoppolo.
"I'm going to go with Garoppolo on this," Brandt said. "Not even so much about what he did last year. The times I was most impressed with Garoppolo was what he did as a Patriot when he came in to start the (2016) season. He comes in, Brady gets suspended, Garoppolo is incredible against Arizona, he's cutting up Miami before he gets hurt. So every time the guy's been out there with two different teams and two different coaches on two different coasts, he's been unbelievable. Derek Carr's great. I'm sure Steve goes way back with him, but I'm going to go with Jimmy G. That's my guy."
"I'm going to go with Garoppolo as well," Schrager said. "Look, I just feel like what he showed in those five games were enough for them to put the investment in, and I feel like there's a pressure on him that's unlike any other pressure because of the money he was given without the body of work. And I think he's going to rise to it.
"Garoppolo also has the advantage of being taught not only by Tom Brady, but by Josh McDaniels, and getting the chance to just watch and learn. So now you get Kyle Shanahan, you get that entire dossier, everything he brings, for an entire offseason. Let's show you the way. But I also have four years of being with Josh McDaniels, and I know how he works. Two of the greatest offensive minds in the game."
Schrager went on to voice his opinion on Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey's comments that the 49ers beating his team during a Week 16 matchup last season had more to do with San Francisco's scheme than Garoppolo's skill.
"I watched that game," Schrager said. "I don't know. It looked like Garoppolo lit up that Jaguars defense."
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