Jimmy Garoppolo’s strange limbo with the 49ers continues in Santa Clara.
The veteran quarterback is working at the team facility on his own as the 49ers lay the foundation for their upcoming season. General manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have made it abundantly clear they’re hoping to trade Garoppolo as he continues to rehab his surgically-repaired shoulder from March.
That’s because the Trey Lance Era starts now. The 49ers are going all in on Lance, who they selected No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft after using three first-round picks and a third-rounder to move up. Lance said he has chatted with Garoppolo briefly over the first couple of days in camp. Perhaps it’s no surprise that Jimmy G is handling the situation like a true pro.
"It is what is. It’s nothing weird at all," Lance said after Thursday's practice. "I never had anything I could possibly say that's bad about Jimmy. He’s been a big bro to me since the day I came in. He could have made things hell for me, honestly, last year and he didn’t. He helped me out with everything, so I’m super excited to see him healthy, super excited to see him throwing again and super excited to see what he does.”
The 49ers can save $25.5 million by releasing Garoppolo, but Shanahan is clearing holding out for a suitor via trade. An injury at quarterback for another team could change things in a heartbeat. Garoppolo bid farewell to the 49ers Faithful after last season before trying to rehab his shoulder for a few weeks and ultimately undergoing surgery on March 8.
Since San Francisco traded up to get Lance last spring, there has been an expiration date on Garoppolo’s time in The Bay. The young kid in the QB room was clearly brought into take his job.
Through it all, Garoppolo has never made a public stink about the situation.
"He was a great leader on this team,” Lance said. “He handled himself the right way, the way he went about his business. He was locked in every single day. Just a true professional."
Lance said he’s approaching his job the same way as his rookie season, but it helps to have some experience under his belt.
“Last year I was definitely in a different spot mentally I would say,” Lance said. “Just a lot more confident coming in this year, knowing what I’m doing.”
Day 2 didn’t go quite as smooth for Lance as Day 1 in 49ers training camp, as he was picked off by Jimmie Ward, one of four interceptions by the defense on the day. We’ll have to get used to the ups and downs of Lance this year as he gets settled into his first NFL starting quarterback gig. But the 22-year-old has drawn rave reviews from his teammates for his progression, especially for his high-velocity throws. So, can he zip it better than last year?
"Let you guys decide,” Lance said. “I threw a lot of footballs this offseason, I’ll say that."
