Kyle Shanahan addresses surprising Jimmy Garoppolo rumor

A surprising report surfaced this week claiming the San Francisco 49ers turned down a generous trade offer for Jimmy Garoppolo prior to the NFL Draft. Not surprisingly, Kyle Shanahan says there is no truth to it.

In his newly released book “It’s Better to Be Feared,” Seth Wickersham says the New England Patriots offered a second-round draft pick for Garoppolo back in April. The Niners reportedly wanted a first-rounder, so they turned it down.

Shanahan was asked about the claim on Wednesday, and he emphatically shot it down.

“I promise, if that was the case, I would have talked to their head coach,” Shanahan said.

The implication seemed to be that Shanahan didn’t discuss any trade with Bill Belichick. If the Patriots wanted Garoppolo so badly that they offered a second-round pick, Shanahan almost certainly would have entertained the conversation.

San Francisco acquired Garoppolo from the Patriots in 2017 for a second-round pick. The quarterback has since led the team to a Super Bowl, but his play has been mediocre at best. The Niners traded up to draft Trey Lance, which would indicate that they are not that high on Garoppolo. That’s what makes it hard to believe they turned down a second-rounder.

Shanahan explained this week why the 49ers are sticking with Garoppolo despite losing four games in a row.