The 49ers' brass spoke to media members earlier this week at the NFL's annual league meeting, with general manager John Lynch, head coach Kyle Shanahan, and owner Jed York all in attendance.
Lynch was the first to speak, making it clear that Garoppolo's surgery slowed trade talks, although the general manager included that having the veteran quarterback on the roster did not derail the team's offseason plans, despite sharing that keeping Garoppolo would "curtail their aggressiveness" prior to the beginning of free agency.
Following Kyle Shanahan's words, there was certainly clarity regarding the quarterback situation, as well as the questions surrounding the offensive line currently.
On Monday, Lynch stated that the 49ers wouldn't look to cut Garoppolo, arguing that he's too good of a quarterback to be let go for nothing in return.
However, if that were the case, San Francisco would've been more hesitant to fill their backup quarterback spot, but they paid Nate Sudfeld, who's coincidentally working out with Trey Lance currently, $2 million in guaranteed money, which indicates their plans for him in 2022.
Additionally, San Francisco could use the money freed up by Garoppolo to sign their draft class, while carrying over money to spend in 2023 when the cap is expected to implode, potentially even upwards of $250 million.
On Tuesday, Shanahan was much more upfront about the situation, sharing his relationship with Trey Lance, the plan with newly-hired quarterbacks coach Brian Griese, and explicitly stating the implications that Garoppolo's surgery had on their presumed plans.
Moreover, Shanahan expressed optimism around the offensive line, sharing that Aaron Banks was ready to start midseason, but the 49ers went on a run with their current group to end the season, taking away from that opportunity. The fifth-year head coach also hinted at rookie Jaylon Moore potentially slotting in to compete at right guard, despite having primarily played tackle for the majority of his career.
