The San Francisco 49ers‘ plan was to turn the team over to quarterback Trey Lance while trading Jimmy Garoppolo.
However, Garoppolo is still with the team because there have been no takers for him.
Yes, he was part of the team that went to last season’s NFC Championship Game.
But it was evident that the former Eastern Illinois standout wasn’t the main reason for that successful run.
Likewise, the injury to his throwing shoulder made quarterback-seeking teams cautious.
After an update from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, those teams might change their minds.
#49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo has been rehabbing his throwing shoulder off-site, per his surgeon's instructions. Garoppolo and the team are on the same page with that continuing and he won't be there when their offseason conditioning program starts today, per me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 19, 2022
Rapoport tweeted, “#49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo has been rehabbing his throwing shoulder off-site, per his surgeon’s instructions. Garoppolo and the team are on the same page with that continuing, and he won’t be there when their offseason conditioning program starts today.”
Garoppolo’s non-attendance of San Francisco’s offseason workouts indicates that Lance will be their starting quarterback in 2022.
After all, there’s no sense benching him again after trading up to get him last season.
The North Dakota State alumnus started two of the six games he played in 2021.
His limited experience means that the jury is still out whether he will be the 49ers’ franchise quarterback.
The Niners haven’t had a long-term solution under center since Steve Young, and they hope that trading up for Lance will pay off.
Any Takers For Garoppolo?
His off-site rehabilitation means that the team is still actively trying to trade him.
But at this point, only the Seattle Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers are actively looking for a quarterback.
Unfortunately, they might rather draft a prospect than trade for Garoppolo.
While the veteran has more experience, his $26.9 million cap hit for 2022 could be too much for the two teams.
Likewise, the Panthers and the Seahawks may rather bet on a younger athlete with an upside.
