The San Francisco 49ers are openly looking to trade Jimmy Garoppolo, but no real market has developed for him after he underwent shoulder surgery. While they still may release the veteran quarterback, there is a noteworthy reason they are in no rush.
Peter King of NBC Sports predicted in his weekly column that Garoppolo will remain on San Francisco’s roster through the start of the 2022 season. King still believes Trey Lance will start in Week 1, but he feels Lance’s development — or lack thereof — is the reason Garoppolo has not been released.
“If Lance had shown all the signs (head coach Kyle) Shanahan needed to see by now, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. The Niners would have granted Garoppolo his freedom if they couldn’t trade him,” King wrote.
Other NFL insiders view the situation differently. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on Monday that the Niners still plan to trade Garoppolo and are willing to be “flexible to find the best situation” for him.
That meshes with recent rumblings that the 49ers are waiting for Garoppolo to be fully cleared from his shoulder rehab, which should be in a month or two. If they are unable to find a trade suitor for him then, it is possible they will grant him his release.
Lance is a raw prospect. He had limited experience at the college level, but the 49ers knew that when they traded up to draft him last year. They still believe he is going to be a franchise quarterback. Though, some of the reports about his development have been concerning. No one would be shocked if the Niners keep Garoppolo around for at least the start of next season to see how things go.
