Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
What's going to happen with Jimmy Garoppolo? Fans want to know. The media wants to know. The San Francisco 49ers are probably anxious to find out. The veteran quarterback has likely thrown his last pass with the team. The Niners tried to trade him, but offseason shoulder surgery stalled those talks.
The 49ers would prefer to avoid releasing Garoppolo and getting nothing in return. Instead, they are waiting for Garoppolo's shoulder to heal and see if a more desirable option presents itself.
Many feel the Carolina Panthers could be an option. They could use an upgrade at quarterback, and most would consider Garoppolo better than their current group of
Sam Darnold, P.J. Walker, and rookie Matt Corral, even if the 49ers quarterback is only a stop-gap.
"[I]f the Panthers want to compete for a playoff spot,
they need an upgrade at quarterback, even if it is a one-year rental, "Jonathan M. Alexander of The Charlottes Observer recently wrote. "[Panthers coach Matt] Rhule has said he'd like Corral to sit and learn before playing, to not ruin a rookie in his first year."
While Garoppolo seems like a good fit for the Panthers, Carolina may view the 49ers quarterback as too expensive, especially considering his injury history. Instead, the Panthers may prefer Baker Mayfield. However, they would prefer the Cleveland Browns eat a good chunk of the quarterback's salary as part of the terms of a trade.
"Finding a veteran rental who is an upgrade would allow Corral to sit and develop," wrote Alexander. "Mayfield seems like the best, and most likely option over San Francisco's Jimmy Garoppolo even if Panthers receiver Robbie Anderson isn't thrilled with the idea of Mayfield coming to Charlotte.
"But Garoppolo's recent shoulder surgery, as well as his injury history, is a far greater concern for some within the organization. The Panthers want no part of his $26.9 million salary, and the 49ers haven't shown a willingness to take to carry those payments in a trade."
So the question remains: If the 49ers can't trade Garoppolo and don't want to release him, risking the 30-year-old signing with the quarterback-needy Seattle Seahawks, what options are left? While trading Garoppolo is Plan A, San Francisco has maintained that holding onto the quarterback for the 2022 season is not entirely off the table.
One NFL insider recently shared his opinion, stating that he believes the 49ers should allow Garoppolo to compete for the starting job if he were to remain.
"I would say they would like to trade him,
but they don't have to," Ian Rapoport said this week. "And if Trey Lance isn't ready, and you have Garoppolo for [over] $20 million, and you can't trade him because he's not healthy enough in time to be traded, you've got to let him get out there and compete. What if he is the better quarterback?"
San Francisco has to be careful if they go down that road. If they allow Garoppolo to compete and he is injured, they are stuck with the quarterback and his hefty salary, which becomes guaranteed.
The 49ers expect Garoppolo to start throwing again in about a month. Don't expect the quarterback situation to be resolved before then.
It took nine years, but the San Francisco 49ers finally got some payback on Thursday night for the Seattle Seahawks feasting on turkey after a win at Levi's Stadium in 2014.
The Seahawks' 19-3 win over the 49ers on Thanksgiving in 2014 was the last time either team played on Thanksgiving before Thursday night, and after that game then-Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and cornerback Richard Sherman dug into the postgame turkey at the 50-yard line of Levi's Stadium at a time when the rivalry between the two teams was at a peak. The 49ers flipped the script on Thursday, notching a 31-13 win over the Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle that was followed by a slew of 49ers getting their fill of Thanksgiving turkey, courtesy of NBC.
"That was a moment I'll remember
(Episode 289) - Brian Renick is joined by Jason Aponte, the host of the Sprint Right Option podcast and also a Niners Nation contributor. The guys react to the Seahawks' win, the biggest takeaways on offense and defense, the NFC playoff picture, and Philly week!
The audio for the show is embedded above. Don't forget to subscribe!
You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode above, from our dedicated podcast page, on
The San Francisco 49ers are turning to a familiar face for a workout following injuries to two safeties, Talanoa Hufanga and George Odum. Hufanga suffered a torn ACL in Week 11, while Odum sustained a torn biceps on Thanksgiving.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, veteran defensive back Anthony Averett will work out for the 49ers on Monday. Averett briefly joined San Francisco's roster during training camp in August but was released with an injury settlement on August 17.
Veteran DB Anthony Averett is working out today for the
Whenever the San Francisco 49ers reflect on their NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, they believe they didn't have a fair shot. Despite confidence in their game plan for last season's matchup, the game took an unexpected turn when quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing arm early on.
After the NFC title game loss, the 49ers expressed their confidence in the locker room, firmly believing that, at worst, the game would have been a much closer contest than the 31-7 defeat.
RELATED: 49ers begin week as favorites against
