Jimmy Garoppolo signed a record-breaking Isaiah Oliver Falcons Jersey , five-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers that will pay him a reported $137.5 million to keep him off the free-agent market without forcing the team to use the one-year franchise tag.

NFL Network first reported the terms of the contract, which is worth $27.5 million per season to top the previous record set by Detroit’s Matthew Stafford last year by $500,000 per year.

San Francisco acquired Garoppolo from New England before the trade deadline for a 2018 second-round pick. As soon as he took the field a few weeks later, he immediately turned around a franchise that started the year with a 1-10 record.

Garoppolo took over as starter and led San Francisco to five straight wins to end the season. That solidified the organization’s belief in him and the willingness to offer him the largest average per year contract in NFL history.

While Garoppolo lacks the track record of the top quarterbacks in the NFL after spending most of his career as Tom Brady’s backup with New England, what he has shown when he has gotten on the field has been impressive.

He completed 67.4 percent of his passes this season, averaging 8.8 yards per attempt with seven TDs, five interceptions and a 96.2 rating. Among quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts last season, Garoppolo ranked first in yards per attempt, fourth in completion percentage. His 308.4 yards passing per game in his five starts also would have led the league had he played a full season.

BASEBALL

NEW YORK (AP) – The baseball players’ union will open its own spring training camp for the first time since the end of the 1994-95 strike, inviting free agents to work out at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Union head Tony Clark said Thursday the camp will open Tuesday and workouts will start the following day under Bo Porter, the Houston Astros’ manager in 2013-14. The camp is scheduled to run through March 4, and the union has the option to extend the camp through the end of the month.

More than 100 players who exercised their right to become free agents last November are without final agreements. Teams start spring training workouts next Wednesday.

Agent Scott Boras represents 15 free agents seeking jobs, a group that includes J.D. Martinez, Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and Jake Arrieta. His company has its own training facilities in North Miami, Florida, and Newport Beach, California, and he is not sure whether his clients will work out at his facilities or IMG.

”They certainly will have the option to use either Raiders Nick Nelson Jersey ,” he said.

The union sent an email to agents announcing the decision. The camp will be open to the players who became free agents under Article XXB of the sport’s collective bargaining agreement, the most prominent group on the market.

”The location is a dedicated, major league-caliber site, with multiple full/half fields, a private locker room, dedicated training staff and an advanced workout facility with a trainer and strength and conditioning coordinator,” the union said.

Personal trainers will not be allowed inside the facility. Players will be provided workout gear, and the union is arranging liability insurance, travel and housing. Players will be given per diems. They are to bring their own bats and shoes.

AUTO RACING

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) – With Scott Dixon at the wheel, the prototype for a windscreen to help protect IndyCar drivers from flying debris passed its first on-track test, a big step toward requiring such devices, perhaps as early as next year.

”I think it’s definitely a milestone as far as moving forward and moving in the right direction for some more safety initiatives, and we all know the reasons why,” the four-time IndyCar series champion said.

The only real problem for Dixon was the lack of air flow made things quite warm. But he described that as ”an easy fix.”

”The cooling thing we kind of knew,” Dixon said, ”but we just didn’t want to deal with it right now.”

Jeff Horton, IndyCar director of engineering and safety and head of the windscreen project, was happy with the results.

”When a guy like Scott gets out, a veteran of ours Authentic Korey Toomer Jersey , and says there’s no deal breakers, a couple of small things to look at, what better could you ask for,” Horton said.

The windscreen wouldn’t prevent all flying-debris accidents since material still could sail over the front of the screen or come in on top of the driver, who otherwise is protected only by a helmet. Driver Justin Wilson died in August 2015 of injuries he sustained when he was struck by flying debris in an IndyCar race at Pocono Raceway.

But IndyCar officials see the windscreen as potentially a big improvement in safety. With more testing to be done, the screen probably wouldn’t be required on the circuit until 2019 at the earliest.

When it comes to football, Saquon Barkley has a knack for doing what might sound impossible.

Whether it's his freakish feats in the weight room, or his game-breaking plays during a three-year career at Penn State (during which he scored a school-record 53 touchdowns), the 6-foot, 233-pounder earned another distinction when he was selected second overall by the Giants in the draft last month instead of a quarterback.

In a QB-driven league where an every-down back is an endangered species, Barkley was the highest running back drafted in more than a decade.

The next hurdle for the Bronx, New York, native? Tempering expectations that he'll become the Giants' hometown hero.

"I don't see them," Barkley said. "I know a lot of people try and set expectations for me. No offense to you guys, but I set my own expectations."

Which will start by using the same mentality he's always had.

"I have to believe in myself, set goals for myself, set expectations for myself and continue to work for those goals every single day," Barkley said. "Just to continue to come in, be humble. I don't want to be that guy that thinks he is a high draft pick and that he has it all. Nothing is given to you. Everything is earned. You have to have that mindset that you have to work every single day. Learn every single day. Be a student of the day, learn from the guys and the coaches. The Elis (Manning) and the Odells (Beckham Jr.) on the field and off the field. Just work. Hard work got me here."

Like the highest running back taken since Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush in 2006 Authentic Miguel Montero Jersey , Barkley is more of a do-everything player than a conventional running back, returning kicks, including two for touchdowns last season, one of which was 98 yards.

Citing Ezekiel Elliott and Le'Veon Bell as examples, Barkley talked about how valuable versatile running backs can be.

"I am not a guy that just lines up in the back field and is going to bang his head, bang his head, bang his head," he said. "I am a guy that is willing to do anything for his team. Whether it be a kick returner or a punt returner, running down on kickoffs, lining up in the slot, running a dummy play or a fake play, whatever it takes. I want to be an athlete, not just a running back. Obviously, I play the running back position, but I want to be an all-around guy and an all-around player."

While coach Pat Shurmer senses the Giants drafted a quick study, he knows Barkley has to dive into the playbook before he can truly assess that.

"He needs to be everything he thinks he can be and then we'll worry about that (expectations) later," Shurmer said, adding: "I'm certainly high on Saquon . If you ask him, he'll tell you he wants to learn what he's doing and compete at a high level and regardless of what my expectations are for him."

The expectation among fans and some in the media is that Barkley makes an immediate impact, which would result in a potent offense featuring wide receivers Beckham and Sterling Shepard and tight end Evan Engram http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-bo-scarbrough-jersey , as long as 37-year-old Eli Manning can return to his two-time Super Bowl MVP form.

For now, Barkley, along with the other players at the Giants' three-day rookie minicamp this weekend, will get the first taste of what NFL practices are like, and what it's like to not only be an NFL player but a New York Giant.

"We're going to put them through the paces for three days here and try and teach them," Shurmer said. "I think what's important is and I've talked to the staff, I've talked to our current players, we want to teach our rookies the right way from the very beginning 鈥?here is your iPad, here is your locker, here is where you need to be, here is how you need to dress, here are the fields, 'please' and 'thank-you' work, push in your chair. We want to really train these guys in the New York Giants' way and I think it's every facet of their life and then, certainly what is most obvious, football."

A mentality to which the well-polished Barkley is looking forward.

"It is an honor to play for this franchise. Right when you walk in the building, you see the four Lombardi Trophies and you already know what the standard is for this team and this program," Barkley said. "I am just happy to be a part of it."

.