Aug 29, 2022 4 min read

Jimmy Garoppolo is staying in San Francisco after agreeing to a reduced contract to be the backup to Trey Lance on the 49ers.

A person familiar with the deal said on condition of anonymity Monday that the sides are finalizing a deal to reduce Garoppolo’s $24.2 million base salary for 2022. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced.

ESPN reported Garoppolo will receive a $6.5 million fully guaranteed base salary, $500,000 in roster bonuses and the chance to make nearly $9 million more in playing time bonuses. The deal also includes a no-trade clause and prevents San Francisco from using the franchise tag on Garoppolo next offseason.

The Niners had been unable to find a trade partner for Garoppolo and were facing a deadline with rosters being cut to 53 players on Tuesday.

They were unwilling to keep Garoppolo as a backup at his full salary, and with no chances at a starting job on another team, the two sides found a compromise.

Garoppolo had not taken part in a single practice or meeting with the team this training camp, working out on the side on his own as he works his way back from offseason shoulder surgery.

But after spending the past five years in San Francisco, he should have little problem getting back up to speed on coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense and he gives the Niners insurance if Lance struggles or gets hurt.

The other quarterbacks on the roster are seventh-round rookie Brock Purdy and Nate Sudfeld, who hasn’t started a game in the NFL.

“Air Coryell” architect Zampese dies: Ernie Zampese, one of the architects of the Dan Fouts-led “Air Coryell” offense with the San Diego Chargers and Troy Aikman’s play-caller for the last of the Dallas Cowboys’ three Super Bowl titles in the 1990s, has died. He was 86.

The Washington Commanders announced the death Monday without providing further details. Zampese’s son, Ken Zampese, is Washington’s quarterbacks coach.

Zampese joined Don Coryell’s San Diego staff in 1979, starting an eight-year run during which Fouts and the Chargers led the NFL in yards passing six times. The Chargers made the playoffs the first four years, reaching the AFC championship game twice.

“He meant a great deal,” Fouts told The Associated Press. “Obviously, the way that he and Don Coryell worked together to develop this amazing passing attack and offense. But you know, even more than that, I mean, everybody loved Ernie.

“He was a fearless person as far as how he taught the game and how he called the game. And I owe him a tremendous amount.”

Zampese went on to the Los Angeles Rams for seven seasons as offensive coordinator before joining the Cowboys in 1994 to direct an offense led by the “Triplets” of Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and receiver Michael Irvin.

Dallas beat Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl a year later, and Zampese was in charge of the offense two more years before spending two seasons as New England’s offensive coordinator.

Smith-Schuster returns to practice: Wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were back at practice with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, raising expectations that the duo will be ready for their season opener against Arizona.

Smith-Schuster has missed the past two weeks, including the Chiefs’ final two preseason games, with a sore knee that popped up in practice. Valdes-Scantling missed last week’s preseason finale against Green Bay in the concussion protocol.

Dolphins cuts Michel, Sanu: Running back Sony Michel and veteran receiver Mohamed Sanu Sr. were among 12 players that the Miami Dolphins cut.

The Dolphins signed edge rusher Trey Flowers, who spent the past three seasons with the Detroit Lions.

Michel signed with the team in May after winning the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams last year, but he came to a Dolphins team with a deep backfield. Miami signed Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert during the offseason and still has Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed on the roster.

Panthers acquire Shenault: Receiver Laviska Shenault, a second-round draft pick in 2020, is getting a fresh start in Carolina.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded Shenault to the Panthers for an undisclosed draft pick in 2023.

It’s the second trade in a year between the teams involving early round picks. Jacksonville sent troubled cornerback C.J. Henderson to Carolina last September for tight end Dan Arnold and a fifth-round pick in 2022. Henderson was the ninth overall pick in 2020.