Many have voiced their opinions on the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback situation. Everything points toward second-year quarterback Trey Lance taking the reins in 2022. Of course, Jimmy Garoppolo and his hefty salary-cap figure are still part of the team, nearly a month after many felt he would have been traded.
The 49ers haven't found any takers for Garoppolo, who underwent shoulder surgery exactly one month ago. It's unlikely that any team will seriously pursue the veteran quarterback before early July, when he can throw again. The biggest question is: Will there be any interest at that point?
The answer may be "no." If that's the case, the 49ers will have a decision to make. Do they hold onto Garoppolo heading into the 2022 season or release the veteran quarterback, receiving nothing in return aside from the salary-cap relief?
One former 49ers great believes Garoppolo, not Lance, gives the team its best chance to win during the upcoming season.
"Every time he's out there, they win," running back Frank Gore recently said of Garoppolo (h/t TheSFNiners). "It might not look [good], but they win. I know the business of it. They gave up three first-round picks [for Lance], so eventually, he [does] got to come in and play, but if I'm the Niners, if I can't get a [second-round draft pick] or higher for Jimmy, I'd probably have to keep him."
Gore acknowledges that an NFL team would want its new quarterback to practice with his new teammates all offseason. That obviously cannot happen with Garoppolo, who probably won't be ready to go until closer to training camp. That obstacle might be too prohibitive for any NFL teams that might have been interested in dealing for Garoppolo.
And then there is Lance's inexperience.
"We don't know what Trey Lance is going to bring," Gore added. "... In a couple of preseason games, he showed a little glimpse and stuff. But I'd say, right now, Jimmy [gives the 49ers the best chance] because every time he's out there, they win. He went to the Super Bowl. He went to the playoffs. He's been in the league for a while, so he understands the offense. He's smart. Right now, I would say Jimmy."
Gore says the choice between Garoppolo and Lance isn't an easy one. The 49ers invested a lot in the latter and have to see what he can do on the football field. Lance can't do that on the sideline backing up Garoppolo. For now, Lance will have to rely on organized team activities and minicamps to show his coaches that he's ready to take over.
