49ers GM John Lynch drops hint about Jimmy Garoppolo situation

Sep 26, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) walks on the field before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers are still looking to find a trade partner for Jimmy Garoppolo, and general manager John Lynch may have dropped a hint about the situation this week.

During an appearance on KNBR’s “Tolbert & Copes” show Tuesday afternoon, Lynch was asked if the Niners have a timeline for when they want to trade Garoppolo. While he said “everything’s open” if the team does not wind up dealing the quarterback, he seemed to indicate that Garoppolo could be on the move soon.

“Yeah, you know, I think we’re getting pretty close,” Lynch said, as transcribed by David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone. “From the beginning, I think our take has been that Jimmy’s a good player. He’s a starting quarterback all day long in this league, and I think proven to be a really good one. Just look at the record, look at where he’s taken us. And so, with guys like that, you don’t just give it away.”

Lynch also spoke about how Garoppolo’s offseason shoulder surgery made trade discussions more complicated. He said the 49ers have not received an offer “that would make us jump,” which is likely Lynch’s way of trying to maintain leverage in negotiations.

The Niners are fully committed to Trey Lance, so it makes no sense for them to keep a $24 million backup on the roster. There has been some talk of them potentially releasing Garoppolo before final roster cuts, though they obviously would prefer to get something of value in return.

A new team may have recently entered the mix for Garoppolo. The question is how much a suitor is willing to pay knowing the 49ers do not want to keep Jimmy G. on their roster.