The new NFL league year begins on March 16. That's when teams must account for their 51 highest-paid players and be compliant with the new salary cap. Most assume the San Francisco 49ers will part ways with Jimmy Garoppolo, freeing up about $25 million in cap space and allowing the team to not only retain some of its own players but possibly add some talent in the coming weeks.
One complication has developed this week. Garoppolo will undergo shoulder surgery that will sideline him for 16 weeks. That means any interested team knows they won't see him throw until late June or early July, which may be a deterrent.
Is that a concern for the 49ers?
"I think that's for other teams," general manager John Lynch told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area on the 49ers Talk podcast this week, "but I think there's obviously avenues open if we give permission. They can talk to the doctors. So, I think it might cause a little more due diligence.
"But you're right. A new league year, wanting to set your team, and obviously [quarterback is] a critical spot. It usually forces action this time of year, and the Combine is set up just perfectly because we're all here together. Those meetings take place, and like I said, we will listen."
On Tuesday, Lynch indicated that the 49ers aren't closing the door on Garoppolo remaining with the team in 2022. That would mean, once again, carrying both Garoppolo and Lance. However, if the Niners retain Garoppolo, there would likely be a quarterback competition to determine the starter.
"Also, know that we've got a really good quarterback in Jimmy," Lynch continued. "If we have the two of them again, and let them go compete, then we're happy to do that as well. And we're capable of doing that with our cap."
That last comment is interesting because everyone assumes the 49ers need to free up Garoppolo's salary. Replacing him with last year's No. 3 overall pick, Trey Lance, allows the 49ers more room for financial maneuvering. It allows them to hold onto some key impending free agents like Laken Tomlinson, D.J. Jones, and K'Waun Williams. It will also offer some flexibility in bringing in outside help to shore up certain positions.
"There are certainly tradeoffs," Lynch admitted, "but we budgeted for a lot of different things with plan A, plan B, plan C, and one of those scenarios—a couple of different of those scenarios—has included Jimmy. And so yes, we can do it. It will curtail what we are able to do, the aggressiveness we have in free agency.
"The bottom line is, whatever that combination is, we want to be a better football team, or give ourselves an opportunity to be a better football team, going into next year."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below. It begins at about the 15:45 mark.