Cowherd believes 49ers are done with Jimmy Garoppolo, should consider Sam Darnold

The discussions surrounding the future of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo aren't going to end anytime soon. Head coach Kyle Shanahan believes Garoppolo will miss at least six weeks with another high-ankle sprain. It will be the entire season if surgery is required, which it might be.

I write "another high-ankle sprain" because Shanahan made it clear this was not a reaggravation of the Week 2 injury that forced Garoppolo to miss two games.

"He essentially had a whole new one, just on the same foot," Shanahan told reporters on Tuesday. "When you have those high-ankle sprains, you reinjure them a lot, but it was a different way that he did it, so it's basically doing it all over again in a different way."

Many feel that Garoppolo's time with the 49ers has come to an end, though. ESPN's Steve Young said it on Monday night. CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora said something similar. Count FS1's Colin Cowherd among those who do not believe Garoppolo will be back in 2021.

"Jimmy Garoppolo is hurt again," Cowherd said on his show, The Herd with Colin Cowherd. "He's going to miss multiple weeks, and I'm just going to say it now. It's over for Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco. There are three things, as a quarterback, that will end your career for one team. You're inconsistent. Garoppolo is. The coach has lost faith in you. The coach has. And you can't stay healthy.

"He's done in San Francisco."

Cowherd adds that it doesn't mean Garoppolo's NFL career is over. The host believes Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots might try to reacquire him and feels it would be a good situation for both parties.

"But Kyle Shanahan is in a division with Russell Wilson, who is never injured," Cowherd continues, "with Kyler Murray, who you can never get a big hit on, and Jared Goff, say what you want, he's never hurt. And Garoppolo cannot stay healthy. He got hurt in New England. He got hurt his first year in San Francisco as a full-time starter. He's hurt now.

"It's over. Kyle Shanahan would be idiotic to run this back."

Cowherd feels Shanahan lost faith in Garoppolo at the end of last season, but the coach got to the Super Bowl with the quarterback and couldn't easily explain an offseason reboot at the position. Garoppolo's injury gives the 49ers an out, and the divorce would not significantly impact the salary cap.

So what's the plan? Cowherd had some thoughts on that too. He believes Shanahan and the 49ers could target Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. Although, the host admits that the 35-year-old quarterback might be too expensive.

Then Cowherd suggests Sam Darnold of the New York Jets.

"I think Sam Darnold, for the Colts, for Washington, and specifically San Francisco," he says. "I know they like Darnold. I know they liked him in the draft. I know they like him. I know the Colts like him. I think Washington likes him."

Of course, Matt Barrows of The Athletic had a pretty amusing response to a question on whether or not the 49ers might be interested in Darnold. The beat writer's words might be what is going through your head right now.

"You guys have seen Darnold, right?" wrote Barrows in a recent mailbag. "He was the quarterback the 49ers faced in Week 2 when they dominated the Jets. He has a passer rating of 65.9, which is the lowest of any qualifying quarterback."