D.J. Jones joined KNBR on Friday morning and discussed the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback situation, a topic that will be discussed ad nauseam until the draft later this month—and probably well beyond. That's because the 49ers now own the No. 3 overall pick, thanks to last week's trade. They also still have Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster and have stated that this latest development doesn't mean a divorce with the veteran quarterback is imminent.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch expect Garoppolo to be San Francisco's Week 1 starter. He will likely serve as a bridge quarterback until the younger player is ready to take over the reins—assuming Shanahan and Lynch hit on the pick.
Jones knows the NFL is a business. These decisions happen. He and his teammates hold Garoppolo in high regard, though. The 29-year-old quarterback is well-liked in the locker room, and Jones hopes no one loses sight of that.
"Obviously, that's the type of move that seems to be to get one of these elite young quarterbacks, but Jimmy's my guy, and I don't want anybody to forget that," Jones said on the Murph & Mac show. "He took us to a Super Bowl. Don't you ever forget that. All these people that are talking to me, you can never do that. Jimmy G did something that most quarterbacks have never done, so that's my guy, that's our guy."
Jones' words probably echo his teammates' thoughts. Everyone was caught off guard by the trade. Soon after the move, All-Pro tight end George Kittle tweeted out that he just works for the team and, "I don't know what's going on."
Jones and Garoppolo will likely remain teammates for at least one more season. Jones re-signed with San Francisco on a one-year deal. Garoppolo? Who knows what his future holds.
"Like I said, I control what I can control," Jones added. "I don't make the picks, I don't make the trades, so whatever they're doing upstairs is what they're doing upstairs, and I have faith in them."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Jones below.
