Joe “The Butcher Boy” Shasky can’t be contained.
95.7 The Game’s co-host of “The Morning Roast” joined the latest episode of the 49ers Web Zone “No Huddle” podcast with Al Sacco, Brian Renick and Zain Naqvi. Of course, the quarterback situation was a hot topic of discussion, as Brock Purdy reportedly is scheduled to undergo elbow surgery Friday.
Even though Jimmy Garoppolo started 10 games for the 49ers before getting injured in Week 13 and Purdy took over, Shasky is irked by how coach Kyle Shanahan handled the situation last offseason.
“Lance has to earn everything he gets, that’s the way I believe,” Shasky said. “I don’t understand, if they were gonna keep Jimmy Garoppolo all along and everyone knew there was no logical trade partner at the money Jimmy was making, why didn’t they let him compete? Clearly the players had felt that Trey hadn’t earned it because you kept Jimmy around. There was this weird animosity. There’s a player dynamic to this that has kinda driven me nuts from the get-go in regards to Kyle Shanahan and the roster politics.”
Garoppolo came back on an incentive-laden one-year deal last year as a free agent to back up Lance and quickly got pressed into starting duties in Week 2. Shasky thinks Lance still has to earn Shanahan’s full trust.
“He’s got his favorites and I think Trey’s no different,” Shasky said. “He’s not one of his favorites right now.”
Heading into next week’s free agency frenzy, which will begin with official negotiations on Monday and contract announcements March 15, the 49ers have been linked to veterans like Matt Ryan, Jacoby Brissett and Andy Dalton.
“Why is the sky falling, like, ‘Let’s go get Matt Ryan,’” Shasky said. “Matt Ryan sucks. You guys really wanna see Matt Ryan? Matt Ryan is finished, he’s burnt toast. I’m over that. The quarterback thing, I’m just fatigued.”
Purdy is expected to need six months to recover from Friday’s surgery, putting his hypothetical return date on the first Sunday of the regular season, Sept. 10. Shaky said the 49ers shouldn’t rush the young quarterback after his UCL injury in the NFC Championship.
“I don’t think Brock’s gonna be ready,” Shasky said. “I think Brock’s gonna miss a lot of time. And if you like Brock – which, I really like Brock, I wanna see a lot more – what is the rush? He’s 23. If he ruins his arm and he can never come back, they will regret that forever. …
“I don’t understand what this big rush is. If he’s gonna get the surgery, just take your time and start him on the PUP list. Even if it’s this six-month (recovery) window, I don’t understand what the problem is. You’re paying Kyle Shanahan ($10) million a year, scheme it up with Trey Lance and try to win four out of six or four out of seven, whatever it is.”
