There has been some chatter that the San Francisco 49ers might be willing to hold onto Jimmy Garoppolo if they can't find a trade partner for the veteran quarterback or if an interested team tries to lowball the Niners. San Francisco had hoped to trade Garoppolo in March. The quarterback undergoing shoulder surgery halted all trade talks. Then the number of quarterback-needy teams greatly diminished.
49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have repeatedly indicated that they expect Garoppolo to be healthy enough to throw again by early July. We're almost to that point.
On Saturday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Garoppolo's recovery remains on schedule, meaning a move could be quickly approaching—assuming a trade partner can be found.
On Sunday, NFL Network's Mike Giardi added that Garoppolo's shoulder is feeling good, and the quarterback hopes for a "quick resolution" once he starts throwing again.
To follow up, per source, Garoppolo's shoulder is feeling good, feeling sound. Hopes for a "quick resolution" once he shows he's able to make all the throws, which source says "won't be a problem." https://t.co/e1WdWY1xFf
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) June 26, 2022
While no one expects the 49ers to keep Garoppolo around as the team transitions to second-year quarterback Trey Lance, doing so would provide some good insurance behind the young quarterback in case he struggles in his first season as a starter. However, with a base salary of nearly $25 million, Garoppolo watching from the sideline for most or all of the 2022 season seems like an expensive move.
Many wonder what the 49ers might do if Garoppolo is healthy but cannot be traded this late in the offseason. What if the team enters training camp with Lance and Garoppolo on the roster? Shanahan said he would expect the veteran quarterback to join his teammates at practice in that scenario.
"I'll think about that when that day comes," Shanahan said earlier this month. "But [if] Jimmy's under contract with us, and he's healthy, right now, I would see him coming to practice unless we traded him."
