49ers not fully committed to Trey Lance as their starting QB?

The San Francisco 49ers have been openly fielding trade offers for Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, but is it possible they could decide to keep the veteran quarterback around for another year?

Jeff Howe of The Athletic wrote this week that the 49ers may not trade Garoppolo unless they are blown away by an offer. They might prefer to evaluate Trey Lance more this offseason before making a final decision on Garoppolo. Lance is expected to have every opportunity to win the starting job, but there’s a chance head coach Kyle Shanahan could decide the No. 3 overall pick is not ready.

If that happens, Garoppolo would still have plenty of value in San Francisco, even with his $24 million salary. Of course, it is also possible that Garoppolo simply has not generated much interest on the trade market.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported on Monday that Lynch has been telling teams he has an offer in hand of two second-round picks for Garoppolo. At least one team supposedly told Lynch he should take it. That report surfaced before the Indianapolis Colts acquired Matt Ryan in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, so that certainly may have changed things.

At one point, it sounded like the Colts were the only team interested in Garoppolo. The Cleveland Browns were also viewed as a suitor, but they landed Deshaun Watson. There aren’t many teams left that are in need of a starting quarterback. The Seattle Seahawks are one, but the Niners may not want to trade Garoppolo to a division rival. The only other team that comes to mind is the Carolina Panthers.

Garoppolo led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game last season. He has proven he can win big games, which is why he still has value to the team. Garoppolo might decide he no longer wants to be a placeholder, but it makes no sense for him to go elsewhere and serve as a backup. All of those factors will have to be considered.

Photo: Dec 19, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) smiles after defeating the Atlanta Falcons at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports