Rapoport further explains report that 49ers may not clear Jimmy Garoppolo until mid-August

Last week, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reported that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had been throwing for two to three weeks. So that means, by now, he has been throwing for three to four weeks. With 49ers fans impatiently awaiting trade news about the quarterback, some were surprised by this week's report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport that Garoppolo might not be fully cleared until mid-August.

Update: ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Garoppolo has been cleared to practice and his agents given permission to seek a trade.

That's bad news for 49ers fans looking for a quick resolution to the offseason Garoppolo storyline. The 49ers hoped to trade the veteran quarterback in March, officially ushering in the Trey Lance era. However, Garoppolo surprised the team by deciding to undergo shoulder surgery, halting all trade discussions.

Those who paid attention to Rapoport's full report understood why the mid-August date makes sense. The NFL insider reiterated the reason on Wednesday for those who glanced past the earlier explanation.

"He's progressing well," Rapoport said on NFL Network of Garoppolo. "He is still throwing. He's been throwing for several weeks now, and probably, maybe in a week or so, a little more, it's going to be full-throttle, able to make all of the throws that he needs to make.

"The reason I said last night that the expectation is he'll be fully cleared by mid-August is that it's not just about making all the throws. It's about making all the throws, then doing it again, then doing it again, and being able to withstand the rigors of a practice and/or, potentially, a game. That is why mid-August is essentially the date when he'll be fully cleared.

"And at that point, we will kickstart the process of figuring out where he's going to go. Is he going to be traded? Is he going to be released? Is he somehow, some way going to stay on the 49ers roster maybe? There's still so much to be answered, but all that comes after he regains his full health."