San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, possibly downplaying the impact of the development, said the shoulder procedure that Jimmy Garoppolo will undergo was described to him as "a minor surgery." Obviously, the 49ers are hoping for a quick and full recovery.
Most expected San Francisco to trade Garoppolo in the coming weeks, and Lynch, speaking from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, says that there is interest in the quarterback, and discussions are taking place. However, news of the surgery could complicate things.
"Any time you have surgery, it's not a minor deal," Lynch said via Kirk Larrabee. "Any time it's the throwing shoulder, I understand the significance. But it is described as a minor surgery, and Jimmy's going to be fine."
While the 49ers appear focused on transitioning from Garoppolo to last year's No. 3 overall pick, Trey Lance, the team's starter of the past four-and-a-half seasons may have seen his trade value fall.
"Let me take you through where they are in the surgery," NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said Wednesday while Lynch spoke with reporters in the background. "Garoppolo is expected to have the surgery within the next seven days. It is a torn capsule in his right throwing shoulder. John Lynch described it as minor on Good Morning Football. It is a throwing shoulder on a quarterback. So, with all due respect to John Lynch ... there's nothing minor about that.
"He is not going to be able to throw for 16 weeks. So, theoretically, if somebody wanted to trade for him at the start of the league year [on March 16], they would trade for a quarterback that they then won't see throw for many months."
The expectation is that Garoppolo will not throw until late June or even early July. Either way, that means missing all of the early portions of the offseason work, no matter what team he is on.
"The hope is he is throwing by late June," Rapoport continued. "The hope is he is throwing full speed by the season. Everything would have to go perfect for him to be ready, and theoretically, someone could trade for him in that time.
"But it is also possible that he just doesn't get traded, and they just hang onto him, move on to Trey Lance, carry him, and try to trade him at some point to get the value that they should get."
From NFL Now: The #49ers trading QB Jimmy Garoppolo by the league year isn't impossible. But its very complicated. A detailed look at the timing... pic.twitter.com/HQxfwmioGm
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2022
On Good Morning Football, Lynch didn't want to close the door on the possibility that Garoppolo remains with the 49ers. He also acknowledged that the plan remains to move forward with Lance.
"We've got a great situation there at the quarterback position in terms of our depth right now," Lynch said. "But when you make that big of an investment in someone, you tend to want to use him.
"So, I think that's where we're at, and very grateful for everything that Jimmy's brought. And if he's back with us, let's go at it again."
During his media availability, Lynch added that Garoppolo is "a part of us right now," and the 49ers are hoping for the best when it comes to their quarterback's recovery.
"Right now, when we talk about his shoulder, I'm worried about that for the Niners and for Jimmy," Lynch shared.