When the 49ers traded for Jimmy Garoppolo midway through the season, the two sides seemed headed for the franchise tag, a one-year contract during which they could get to know each other before committing to a long-term relationship.
As it turned out, the chemistry between quarterback and franchise was so strong and so immediate that a feeling-out process became unnecessary, and talk of the franchise tag was avoided during negotiations.
"We felt like we had a good grasp on the talent," general manager John Lynch said Friday of the team's initial assessment of Garoppolo. "That was only confirmed when he got here.