When the San Francisco 49ers signed Jimmy Garoppolo to a five-year, $137.5 million contract extension in February 2018, the organization seemed set at the most important position in sports for years to come. But after watching Tom Brady’s former backup struggle to stay healthy, the franchise made the bold decision to trade up to the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to secure the uber-talented but incredibly raw Trey Lance.

Naturally, the move led to immediate speculation about Garoppolo’s future with the 49ers. And while he maintained his spot atop the depth chart for one season, it’s clear the 30-year-old signal-caller will throw his next pass for another team.

In fact, the 49ers have opened the door for their longtime starters to secure $25 million elsewhere.

The 49ers seemed primed to make a transition at quarterback

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This week represented a monumental moment for the 49ers as a franchise. After all, it’s rare for a team to give one of its most popular players the chance to find a new NFL home.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the organization granted Garoppolo’s agents permission to seek a trade. San Francisco’s starter since 2017, Garoppolo has spent most of the offseason rehabbing from shoulder surgery. With just one year left on the pricey extension he inked during the 2018 offseason, the veteran quarterback needs to play well to prove he deserves another multi-year deal.

While the 49ers can trade Garoppolo to any team of their choosing, putting the ball in his agents’ court suggests they’re willing to do what’s best for him. However, it remains to be seen whether potential suitors will find the ninth-year pro’s contract palatable.

Jimmy Garoppolo has an opportunity to secure $25 million from another NFL team

Jimmy Garoppolo currently has one year left on his deal.

Any team acquiring him would owe him $24.2M in base salary and up to $800K in per-game roster bonuses ($25M max) as things presently stood. https://t.co/yO7CV1PUV1

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 20, 2022

Set to count nearly $27 million against the salary cap, Garoppolo will certainly force other franchises to consider the financial implications of a trade. Between his $24.2 million salary and $800,000 in per-game roster bonuses, he has a chance to earn just north of $25 million in 2022.

Of course, given Garoppolo’s injury history (he’s played a total of 63 games since 2014), it would be a mild surprise if he remained healthy and appeared in every game. However, with no semblance of financial or job security, he should have no shortage of motivation heading into his ninth year in the league.

Still, it isn’t easy to gauge the market for a quarterback who comes with several red flags. Not only does Garoppolo have a lengthy injury history, but he’s also unlikely to be back to 100% until the middle of August.

Plus, will a team want to surrender draft capital and significant cap space to acquire a passer who hasn’t exactly performed at a high level in the playoffs? With a 74.1 rating and six interceptions in six postseason starts, it’s not as if Garoppolo has impressed when it’s mattered most.

Where are the best landing spots for Jimmy G?

Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the game against the Green Bay Packers in NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 | Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Ultimately, some NFL team will employ the veteran quarterback this season. Assuming the 49ers don’t release Garoppolo, there are several potential trade partners who could look to secure his services.

So, what are the most logical fits?

First, don’t count out the Cleveland Browns. Despite trading a considerable haul for Deshaun Watson and handing him the largest contract in NFL history earlier this offseason, the AFC North franchise remains in limbo at the most important position in sports. With the ex-Houston Texan facing the possibility of a lengthy suspension over alleged inappropriate sexual conduct, the Browns may have to play a large chunk of the season without him.

Could Garoppolo be viewed as the best fallback option? Despite his shortcomings and durability concerns, he boasts more upside than Watson’s current backup, Jacoby Brissett. In addition, the Browns have almost $50 million in cap space, which gives them plenty of wriggle room to take on Garoppolo’s $24.2 million salary.

Sticking in the AFC, Houston has to be considered a top landing spot, too. Sure, the Texans are in the middle of a rebuild. But don’t forget general manager Nick Caserio was the Patriots’ director of player personnel when New England selected Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 draft. Acquiring the veteran and pitting him against promising second-year per Davis Mills wouldn’t be the worst move for a franchise that will have incredible spending power next offseason.

The only hangup?

According to Adam Coleman of The Athletic, Houston only has about $9 million in cap space at the moment. So, if Jimmy Garoppolo wants to take his talents to the Texans, he may have to sacrifice some of his $24.2 million salary to make that happen.

Stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference, Contract info courtesy of Spotrac

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One of the biggest surprises of the offseason is that Jimmy Garoppolo is still a member of the San Francisco 49ers. Garoppolo was anticipated to be traded this offseason but hasn’t seen a trade materialize. This situation muddies the 49ers’ quarterback room, as Trey Lance is still waiting in the wings.

ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler released an update about Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday. In his latest update, Fowler revealed why Garoppolo remains on the roster. He said:

“The market hasn’t been overly hot right now, largely because of Garoppolo’s shoulder surgery. Teams don’t know when he’ll be able to throw; it might be later in the summer. And so, can he pass a physical? “There are questions that teams are sort of asking right now. We mentioned the Panthers earlier in relation to (Baker Mayfield); they’ve done their homework on Garoppolo too. They’ve looked at all options, and Garoppolo is one. So that’s.” Something to watch down the road. Right now, San Fransisco is prepared to hold on to that $26 million salary, at least as a placeholder for now. They believe they can do all of their business with draft picks and free agents until they sort all of this out.” “I really do think that Jimmy [Garoppolo] would have a starting job right now, if it hadn’t been for the shoulder surgery.” – @AlbertBreer said on the @RichEisenShow.

Albert shared how the shoulder injury complicates things & made teams concerned he’ll miss key off-season time.

“I really do think that Jimmy [Garoppolo] would have a starting job right now, if it hadn’t been for the shoulder surgery.” – @AlbertBreer said on the @RichEisenShow.Albert shared how the shoulder injury complicates things & made teams concerned he’ll miss key off-season time. https://t.co/9YTPC42gqe

Garoppolo’s shoulder surgery couldn’t have been timed worse. Despite reports that he’ll be ready to throw in training camp, teams are skeptical he’ll recover in time to be worth trading significant assets for.

Another juicy piece of information dropped from Fowler was regarding the starting job. Fowler reports that Lance will be the Week 1 starter. fowler wrote:

“Meanwhile, Trey Lance has been working out in the Bay Area. I’m told that he’s got indications, at least informal indications from the team, that he’ll be the guy next year. He’s set to be that. Now, whether that means that they would still keep Garoppolo and that could change the dynamic, possibly. But right now, Lance is going to be the starter.” Here’s the entire quote from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler about #49ers QB’s Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance“/>Here’s the entire quote from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler about #49ers QB’s Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance https://t.co/Io8HONOzlw

Trey Lance as starting quarterback for San Francisco 49ers over Jimmy Garoppolo is significant news

The San Francisco 49ers have looming contract extensions due to Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel. Bosa and Samuel are two of the best players in the league at their positions and are each likely to command over $20 million per year.

So read
Article Continues below

Moving on from Jimmy Garoppolo gives the 49ers financial flexibility to extend one of them. Understandably, they want compensation for Garoppolo, but eventually, you have to cut your losses. Especially if a player like Samuel is willing to hold out or request a trade due to the lack of a new contract.

Edited by Akshay Saraswat

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — To the surprise of many, perhaps even some of those inside the walls of team headquarters, Jimmy Garoppolo is still a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

The first week of the new league year has come and gone and the Niners have yet to find a taker for Garoppolo on the trade market. As the game of quarterback musical chairs continues, the amount of open seats has significantly dwindled and the final tunes are about to be played.

All of which begs one big question: Why have the Niners been unable to deal Garoppolo?

Too many other dominoes

After the 49ers fell to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan mostly played coy about Garoppolo’s future, but it was clear from Garoppolo’s own news conference that he believed his days as a Niner were all but over. Garoppolo offered an emotional goodbye and acknowledged that he and Lynch discussed trade destinations.

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The hope for both parties was that Garoppolo would be one of the best quarterbacks available in a market full of teams in need. For a moment, at least, it looked like that might happen. Tom Brady retired from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson appeared to be staying put in Green Bay and Seattle, respectively. Nobody knew what to make of Deshaun Watson’s pending legal issues.

It all changed when Wilson was traded to Denver and Brady announced he was coming back. Wilson was a double whammy for the Niners, removing the Broncos as a potential suitor and leaving a quarterback void on the division rival Seattle Seahawks, a team the 49ers would prefer not to trade with.

Dominoes continued to fall elsewhere as the Washington Commanders traded a pair of third-round picks to the Indianapolis Colts for Carson Wentz, in no small part because of Garoppolo’s pending right shoulder surgery.

When a Harris County grand jury declined to indict Watson on sexual misconduct allegations, he immediately became the object of the remaining QB-focused teams’ desire. Watson’s trade to the Cleveland Browns tipped over even more unforeseen dominoes, leading to Jameis Winston’s return to the New Orleans Saints, Matt Ryan’s trade to the Colts and Marcus Mariota’s signing with the Atlanta Falcons.

As it stands, the Browns are seeking a home for Baker Mayfield with the Carolina Panthers and Seattle as the two most logical landing spots remaining for him and Garoppolo.

It always made sense that teams in need of quarterback help would want to pursue bigger and better options than Garoppolo. Few could have foreseen that so many would be available, though.

Shoulder surgery snag

Even if the 49ers had found offers for Garoppolo in, say, February, news of his right shoulder surgery and inability to throw until early July would have tossed a wrench into any deal. Trades agreed to at that time could not be made official until March 16, and trades also require physicals, which Garoppolo probably wouldn’t have passed. The reset button could have easily come into play on any agreed-upon pact.

Garoppolo’s shoulder injury means he would likely miss the entire offseason program for a new team, no small thing for a quarterback learning a new system. That’s something that concerned the Colts and at least one other interested team.

The shoulder surgery also added to a lengthy list of injuries on Garoppolo’s résumé. A big part of the reason the Niners are moving on from him is his inability to stay consistently on the field.

That’s also the chance the Niners took by hanging on to Garoppolo, starting him throughout the season and hoping he could reestablish his trade value. He almost made it, but his latest injury happened at the worst possible time for a trade to come together.

‘At his ceiling’

Of course, there are football reasons that a deal for Garoppolo hasn’t come together. Multiple sources outside the organization wondered whether Garoppolo is already “at his ceiling” and suggested that moving away from a good situation with Shanahan designing and calling the plays and the talent surrounding him would make it difficult to get commensurate production elsewhere.

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Since Garoppolo doesn’t rise to the level of a Wilson or Watson, it’s understandable why a team would be hesitant to give up much in compensation and salary (roughly $25 million for an acquiring team) for a player who might be no more than a one-year placeholder.

It’s why, when combined with the shoulder injury, a team such as the Pittsburgh Steelers would rather roll the dice on upside with a younger, cheaper, and more athletic player in Mitch Trubisky.

The Niners could still find a trade partner for Garoppolo, though when and for what are increasingly difficult questions to answer. Hanging on to him for now is possible and would provide some financial benefit since he is due a $7.5 million injury guarantee. On the field, keeping Garoppolo wouldn’t technically interfere with the transition to Trey Lance since Garoppolo isn’t able to participate in the offseason program anyway, leaving Lance to get the starter’s reps.

Eventually, though, something is going to have to change. It’s hard to envision a scenario where Garoppolo is back on his current contract, though retaining him to gain more certainty about Lance’s progress is an option.

Releasing Garoppolo would save about $18 million, with the other $7.5 million to come back once he signs with another team for up to that amount. That’s an outcome that seems unlikely, at least for right now, since things can change elsewhere with injuries or draft plans or both. It can’t be ruled out down the line, however.

One way or the other, it appears more patience is required before a resolution is found.

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Where do the San Francisco 49ers stand with Jimmy Garoppolo? (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The San Francisco 49ers figured to move off longtime starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo before NFL free agency even started last week.

Both the 49ers and Garoppolo admitted immediately following San Francisco’s NFC Championship Game loss to the Los Angeles Rams that his time in Northern Calfornia was coming to an end.

Now, nearly a year after San Francisco traded up in the 2021 NFL Draft to draft Garoppolo’s heir-apparent, his situation is more complicated.

To be clear. Trey Lance will be the 49ers’ Week 1 starter once the 2022 season comes calling. Garoppolo will not be on the roster.

With that said, we’re now entering the second week of NFL free agency and Garoppolo remains on the 49ers’ books with a cap hit of $26.95 million. It has impacted their ability to be big-time players during free agency with one high-priced signing and multiple lower-level deals.

Now that the likes of fellow quarterbacks such as Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz and Dashaun Watson have been traded, the market for Garoppolo’s services has shrunk. With Baker Mayfield firmly on the block, too, it could shrink even more. Below, I look at where we are at in the entire Garoppolo saga with the 49ers.

Jimmy Garoppolo Trade Market

Deshaun Watson trade complicates Jimmy Garoppolo’s market. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith, File)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Previously linked to Garoppolo, a number of teams have found their new starting quarterbacks. That includes Russell Wilson heading to the Denver Broncos, the Cleveland Browns pulling off a blockbuster trade for Deshaun Watson and the Washington Commanders adding Carson Wentz to the mix.

If we conclude San Francisco is not going to trade Garoppolo to the division rival Seattle Seahawks, there’s less than a handful of teams that make sense for the Super Bowl quarterback.

The Indianapolis Colts remain very much in the market for Garoppolo and had trade discussions with San Francisco about the veteran during the NFL Scouting Combine. It’s also important to note that Colts general manager Chris Ballard has dealt with San Francisco’s front office recently. That included the 49ers trading star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to Indy following the 2019 season.

However, things are complicated here due to Mayfield’s presence on the trade market after Cleveland traded for Deshaun Watson on Saturday. Having requested a trade prior to that blockbuster, Mayfield is not in a position to dictate where he goes.

With that said, it’s being reported that he prefers the Colts — further complicating San Francisco’s ability to trade Garoppolo. The Seattle Seahawks are also firmly in the mix for Mayfield and have had internal conversations about acquiring him after sending Wilson to the Broncos. Could Seattle use some of the bounty it received from Denver to entice the Browns in a trade? This would be the best-case scenario for San Francisco, setting the stage for a Garoppolo trade to Indianapolis.

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There’s also two NFC South teams (and potentially a third squad) in the market for a new quarterback.

The Carolina Panthers struck out in their attempt to acquire the aforementioned Watson. They now have to make a choice between selecting a rookie quarterback in the top-10 of the 2022 NFL Draft or biting the bullet on a Garoppolo trade. After all, the Panthers’ brass has made it clear that Sam Darnold is not the answer under center following his disastrous first season in Charlotte.

Also in a Watson trade, the New Orleans Saints find themselves in an unenviable position in the post-Sean Payton era. Taysom Hill is the only in-house candidate to take over under center. However, the Saints do have interest in re-signing Jameis Winston after he suffered a torn ACL last season. Will Winston’s familiarity with offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael’s scheme play a role in the Saints’ decision-making process? San Francisco hopes not.

As for the other AFC South team, the Atlanta Falcons were close to finalizing a deal for Watson before Cleveland came through to offer him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.

While Atlanta kept veteran quarterback Matt Ryan in the mix behind the scenes, there’s a decent chance the former NFL MVP will ultimately request a trade. Likely wanting to join a contender, his market might be impacted. Perhaps, the Seahawks or Colts show interest.

Either way, it’s hard to imagine the Falcons turning around and acquiring Garoppolo should they be forced to trade Ryan. In this scenario, Arthur Blank’s team might just opt ​​to go into full-scale rebuild mode.

Timeline And Details Of A Potential Jimmy Garoppolo Trade

Jimmy Garoppolo traded to the Carolina Panthers could make sense. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Getty Images

From San Francisco’s perspective, the sooner the better. There’s absolutely no reason for this to draw on any further. Realistically, it would be a nightmare scenario if a trade is not finalized before the 2022 NFL Draft late next month. In fact, the 49ers want some sort of resolution within the week.

Any thought given to the idea that this will still remain unsettled come summer time an training camp is laughable.

There’s a few reasons for this. The 49ers currently find themselves $7.74 million under the cap. Garoppolo’s $26.95 million cap hit is still on the books. Ridding them of that figure would help the 49ers’ brass add to other areas of need before the NFL free agent market thins out even more.

San Francisco has needs at wide receiver, guard, edge pass rush and cornerback — needs it will not be able to address in a wholesale manner during the 2022 NFL Draft without a first-round pick.

For example, the 49ers have been linked to former New England Patriots All-Pro cornerback Stephen Gilmore. His going rate will be north of $12 million annually. Even after signing fellow cornerback Charvarius Ward, San Francisco still has interest in Gilmore. It will not be able to finalize a deal until Garoppolo is off the team’s books.

MORE FROM FORBESSan Francisco 49ers Sign Charvarius Ward: Financial Impact And More Informationby Vincent Frank

Recently-released former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Julio Jones is also someone the 49ers’ brass figures to have interest in given his relationship with head coach Kyle Shanahan dating back to their time together with the Atlanta Falcons. In short, moving Garoppolo should be San Francisco’s next big move.

The question then becomes what a trade might look like. Let’s take the Carolina Panthers out of the group above and focus on that initially. Carolina finds itself $31.79 million under the cap. It could easily take on Garoppolo’s contract without blinking an eye from a financial perspective. At issue here is Darnold’s presence and $18.86 million cap hit. Will general manager Scott Fitterer want to dole out north of $43 million in cap room to two marginal quarterbacks?

As with any potential trade, there’s other avenues to pursue. San Francisco could agree to take on Darnold as a backup to Lance. In the process, it demands more in return by picking up some of his $18.86 million cap hit. That is to say, demanding the Panthers up the ante by agreeing to pay out half of it. In this scenario, the 49ers add more draft capital.

It’s also not a secret that Carolina has injury-plagued All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey on the trade block. His value has decreased big time with the former Stanford star having played a total of 10 games over the past two seasons.

Perhaps, the 49ers opt to take a chance that McCaffrey’s injuries are behind him while adding the dynamic threat to Kyle Shanahan’s offense. At full strength, he’d be a perfect fit. After losing Raheem Mostert to the Miami Dolphins, running back also remains a need for the 49ers.

With a base salary of $8.4 million, the 49ers would be able to take on McCaffrey’s cap hit while adding other pieces in free agency. This scenario would also include Carolina sending some draft capital to Northern California.

MORE FROM FORBESBreaking Down San Francisco 49ers’ Decision To Hire Brian Griese As Next Quarterbacks Coachby Vincent Frank

Things get less complicated when it comes to the Colts and Saints. Both have the cap room to add Garoppolo to the mix without having to trade away a quarterback contract. Indianapolis could offer up its second-round pick and change for Jimmy GQ. The same thing could be said about New Orleans.

As it is, this is a situation the 49ers need to settle in short order. It has handcuffed them during NFL free agency. By trading Garoppolo, San Francisco would then be able to focus on adding more veterans to the mix before turning its attention to the 2022 NFL Draft as well as extending Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa.

Right now, things are in a holding pattern. And in reality, that’s not a great look.

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San Francisco 49ers admit Jimmy Garoppolo trade talks taking place. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Jimmy Garoppolo trade from the San Francisco 49ers can’t be made official until the new NFL league year opens up in roughly two weeks. In no way does this mean a trade won’t be agreed to here within the next few days.

49ers general manager John Lynch spoke to the media on Wednesday from the site of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

In doing so, the front office head told reporters that San Francisco has had discussions with other teams regarding a Garoppolo trade and plans to continue these talks as a free agency opens here soon.

The expectation has always been that San Francisco’s brass and Garoppolo will work together to find the 30-year-old signal caller a new home. Garoppolo touched on that immediately after the 49ers blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams back in January.

“I was talking to John (Lynch) yesterday about finding the right destination. I just want to go to a place where they want to win,” Garoppolo told reporters back on February 1.

MORE FROM FORBESWhy Stephen Gilmore Makes Perfect Sense For The San Francisco 49ersby Vincent Frank

Jimmy Garoppolo Shoulder Surgery And Impact On Potential Trade

There’s another pretty big backdrop to all of this. It was noted earlier in the week that Garoppolo is set to undergo surgery on his throwing shoulder and could miss up to 16 weeks. While this timeline would still make him available for some of training camp and the preseason, it complicates things further.

Lynch touched on that bit of breaking news, indicating that “it is described as a minor surgery” and “the prognosis is really good.”

Amid reports of Garoppolo needing surgery, ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that there’s still multiple teams interested in the quarterback’s services. How said surgery might impact his trade value remains to be seen.

Common logic seems to suggest that the 49ers can get a haul similar to what the New York Jets received from the Carolina Panthers for Sam Darnold last offseason. New York acquired a sixth-round pick in 2021 as well as second and fourth-round selections in 2022.

When looking at the statistical differences between these two quarterbacks (past two seasons), it’s easy to conclude Garoppolo has performed better.

Sam Darnold: 60% completion, 4,735 yards, 18 touchdowns, 24 interceptions, 72.3 rating (6-17 record)

Jimmy Garoppolo: 68% completion, 4,906 yards, 27 TD, 17 INT, 97.2 rating (12-9 record)

Jimmy Garoppolo trade market

San Francisco 49ers could move Jimmy Garoppolo to the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Daniel … [+] Shirey/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Looking at it through the lens of quarterback-needy teams, there’s as many as 10 who could be in the market for a new quarterback. Among them, Garoppolo has been linked primarily to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders.

Pittsburgh saw longtime starter and two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger retire following the 2021 season. Meanwhile, Washington started three quarterbacks under center last season.

As for the Colts, they are preparing to move off Carson Wentz after just one season. That will likely come via trade or release ahead of the new league year. It’s an open question whether general manager Chris Ballard would view Garoppolo as an upgrade over Wentz.

Other teams that could show some interest in Garoppolo this month include the Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers.

San Francisco 49ers sing Trey Lance’s praise

Trey Lance is the future of the QB position for the San Francisco 49ers. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

When San Francisco traded up to the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to select Lance, there was some who believed that Garoppolo would be moved immediately.

That was never the plan behind the scenes. A small-school product from North Dakota State, Lance wasn’t ready to take over under center. While he displayed flashes in limited time as a rookie, growing pains were the name of the game.

Now, entering his first full offseason as a member of the 49ers, it’s time for Lance to prove that he can be handed the keys to the kingdom. Hence, why Garoppolo will likely be traded here soon.

In talking about his young quarterback on Wednesday, Lynch sounded an optimistic tone.

MORE FROM FORBESThe Finances Of A Potential Jimmy Garoppolo Trade From The San Francisco 49ersby Vincent Frank

“He’s everything we thought he was when we traded a lot to go get him and more. I really believe that. There’s a tone of excitement. Of course, there’s some unknown. There always is in this game,” San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch on Trey Lance, via NFL Network. “Trey’s made of the right stuff. Both talent wise and in his spirit of who he is, the intangibles. Guys like playing for him. Guys like being around him. We’re certainly excited to see what he can do.”

We wouldn’t expect anything different from Lynch given that San Francisco used three first-round picks and a mid-round selection for Lance. That’s especially true with Garoppolo firmly on the trade block. In reality, it’s a PR game to help hype up the youngster while attempting to create more leverage in Garoppolo trade talks.

For now, we wait and see what is going to happen with Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers. Talks will undoubtedly continue with general managers meeting up in Indianapolis during the combine this week. Perhaps something gets done in short order.

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• Kelly CohenESPN

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch had to explain a tweet he liked on Twitter about quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo being left in Nashville following the team’s loss to the Tennessee Titans.

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Lynch said on his own Twitter feed he “accidentally and unknowingly” liked the tweet about Garoppolo. And what’s more — it happened during Christmas Eve mass with his family, Lynch explained.

“Never intended to [like the tweet] and remain a huge believer in Jimmy,” Lynch said in Friday night’s post.

Apparently – while in Christmas Eve Mass w my Family – I accidentally and unknowingly Liked a Tweet. Never intended to and remain a huge believer in Jimmy. Merry Christmas to everyone.

— John Lynch (@JohnLynch49ers) December 25, 2021

The Twitter misstep comes after Garoppolo completed 26-of-35 passes for 322 yards and a touchdown in Thursday’s 20-17 loss to the Titans. He also threw two interceptions which played a factor in the loss.

San Francisco is sixth in the NFC right now, so the playoffs aren’t impossible. They host the Houston Texans on Jan. 2 and close out their regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Rams.

Lynch and the 49ers acquired Garoppolo from the New England Patriots in 2017 for a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. In February of 2018, San Francisco signed the quarterback to a five-year, $137.5 million contract extension.

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — At the end of a 17-plus minute Zoom media session Tuesday, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stopped, looked into the camera and delivered what was unmistakably a farewell message to Niners fans.

“It’s been a hell of a ride,” Garoppolo said to the 49ers fans. “I love you guys. See ya.”

With that, Garoppolo rose from his seat and walked into an uncertain future that almost certainly will end with him playing for another team in 2022. Not long before, general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan largely deflected questions about what comes next for Garoppolo.

Shanahan and Lynch spoke at length about the end of the season — which came after Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams — being too fresh to have a definitive answer on where they go from here. They promised to communicate with Garoppolo every step of the way and went into detail about how they have the finance wherewithal to keep Garoppolo and rookie Trey Lance next season if that’s something they want to explore.

“If we knew exactly what was happening, we would have told Jimmy,” Shanahan said. “But this season just ended and we’ve got a great, young quarterback who was a rookie and we have a great quarterback here who is a veteran. … I’ve got the ultimate respect for Jimmy and I’m very excited About Trey. That’s where we’re at right now.

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“So, we’re in a situation where we’ve got to make some tough decisions that won’t be easy. But I’m happy about that. That means you’ve got the best scenario going and that’s why we’ve got to put a lot of thought into this. And Jimmy will know everything as we go.”

Nobody should have expected Shanahan or Lynch to go into detail about the plan to try to maintain some sense of leverage. But when Garoppolo took his turn, he left little in the way of gray area.

Garoppolo expects to be traded, hopes to have a say in where he lands and knows what he wants in his next organization.

“I was talking to John yesterday about finding the right destination and whatever the future holds, just doing it the right way,” Garoppolo said. “I’ve got a long career ahead of me. I’m excited about it. I’m excited about the opportunities to come. I just want to go to a place where they want to win. That’s really what I’m in I’m here to play football, win football games and as long as I’ve got that and good people around me, I think the rest will take care of itself.”

An exact timeline for a potential Garoppolo trade remains to be seen, but there are plenty of reasons to believe it will be a priority to be done by the time the new league year starts on March 16. Garoppolo is scheduled to count $26.905 million against San Francisco’s salary cap in 2022. Moving on from him would save the team $25.505 million with just $1.4 million in dead money remaining from the signing bonus on the contract he signed in 2017.

The Niners will need that space to re-sign many of their own key players, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel and defensive end Nick Bosa, both of whom are under contract but are priorities to sign to lucrative extensions this offseason, something Lynch acknowledged Tuesday.

Any place Garoppolo lands would still have to take on more than $25 million in cap charges, which is why he would likely be in line for a contract extension wherever he is traded. And though Garoppolo technically still has a no-trade clause, it expires when the new league year begins, which is also when any trade could officially be completed.

“As far as the whole trade situation, John has been very clear with it,” Garoppolo said. “I think they’re trying to do the best for me, I’m trying to do the best for them and we’re working together. We haven’t really made too much progress on it, but I think things will start happening here pretty quickly.”

Another thing that will happen in the near future is a diagnosis on Garoppolo’s injured right thumb. Garoppolo played the final five games (including playoffs) with a torn ligament suffered in the Dec. 23 loss to the Tennessee Titans. He plans to see a specialist this week to determine whether he will need surgery.

“If I can avoid surgery, that’s really what I’m hoping for, but we’ll see,” Garoppolo said.

Garoppolo also praised Lance, his presumptive replacement. Garoppolo said Lance is “as talented as it comes” and complimented the rookie for how well he learned a voluminous playbook. On Monday, Lance offered similar plaudits to Garoppolo.

“Everyone put us against each other and everything like that in the media throughout this whole year, OTAs, everything, but he’s been nothing but a big brother to me,” Lance said. “He’s been nothing but great to me and I have nothing but just thankfulness for him and everything he’s done and how he’s handled everything. He’s going to be one of my best friends for my whole entire life.”

The speculation on where Garoppolo lands next will kick into overdrive in the coming weeks. There is no shortage of teams — Pittsburgh, Washington, New Orleans, Denver and Tampa Bay, among others — who figure to be in the market for a quarterback.

Depending on how things play out with others like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, Garoppolo could be one of the most accomplished quarterbacks available.

No matter how it officially ends, Garoppolo believes it will be a good thing for all involved.

“We’ve done right by each other just throughout this whole relationship,” Garoppolo said. “We’ll work it out one way or another. I don’t know how exactly that will work, but I think both sides will be happy in the end.”

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The NFC championship game turned into a nightmare scenario for the 49ers. With their running game hampered and their defense struggling to get off the field, San Francisco had to turn to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to salvage their season, and they failed.

This was always the issue when the 49ers settled on Garoppolo in 2021. It’s also why they traded three first-round picks to move up and take on Trey Lance in this year’s draft. When the 49ers’ winning formula didn’t work, they couldn’t lean on their quarterback.

It didn’t bode well on Sunday when Garoppolo’s first throw, a third and seven throws against George Kittle on the 49er’s first drive, sailed over Kittle’s head. A better throw might have resulted in a touchdown.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad first three quarters for the QB. He went 13-to-21 for 202 yards and 2 touchdowns in that span. However, the wheels came loose when the game was balanced.

Garoppolo went 3-for-9 in the fourth quarter for 30 yards and an interception, and the game turned at a point that exposed head coach Kyle Shanahan’s lack of confidence in Garoppolo to make a play.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Rams scored a touchdown to cut the 49ers’ lead to 17-14. San Francisco cruised, looking for a touchdown that could effectively end the game. A 9-yard run by running back Elijah Mitchell on a first down put the 49ers at the Rams’ 44-yard line.

On second-and-1, Mitchell was stuffed with a loss of 1.

On the third and second full-backs, Kyle Juszczyk was brought down without a win.

Then the 49ers punted.

They didn’t even pretend to put the ball in their quarterback’s hands. Not in second or third place and certainly not in fourth. The ultra-conservative trio of calls after Mitchell got the 49ers fourth might be a flaw in Shanahan’s game calling, but it’s hard to believe it had nothing to do with the quarterback.

After that punt by the 49ers, the Rams went for 63 yards in nine games and kicked a field goal to tie the game.

What happened next was perhaps the worst-case scenario for San Francisco. You throw the ball in the air three times. All three shots were incomplete with a game penalty delay interspersed on the second relegation. None of the throws were particularly tight.

Los Angeles went down and kicked the go-ahead field goal, leaving Garoppolo with 1:46 and a time-out to orchestrate a game-timing or go-ahead drive.

What followed was another disaster. There was another incompletion, then a completion for wide receiver Jauan Jennings for minus 3 yards, and then an interception on a shovel pass that sailed high for RB JaMycal Hasty. The game was over. Garoppolo went 1-on-6 for minus 3 yards and a pick on what might be his final plays as a 49er.

That was always the problem with Garoppolo. He’s not a “bad” player. He is limited. And those limitations are easy to hide when the defense is running light and the game in progress is messing up the defense (or the special teams are scoring touchdowns). Quarterback mattered on Sunday. The 49ers needed a playmaker, and Garoppolo isn’t.

Unfortunately for Garoppolo and the 49ers, consistent winning in the modern NFL requires the quarterback to make plays when all else fails. That’s why they’re moving on and any doubts as to why the 49ers would part ways with a quarterback that took them to the NFC Championship game have been removed.

At some point, every season in the NFL will end up in QB, and San Francisco just wasn’t good enough.

Observations from the 49ers’ loss to the Rams in the NFC Championship game

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As the San Francisco 49ers take on the Dallas Cowboys in the wild card round, Jimmy Garoppolo will be acting through pain after torn thumb ligaments and fractured a bone a few weeks ago. It could be his last game as a San Francisco quarterback.

As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport explained, the 49ers plan to move Trey Lance, their first-round pick from the 2021 draft, into the starting position next year, replacing 30-year-old Garoppolo.

“To my knowledge, the 49ers are still looking to pick Trey Lance as their starter in the first round, which means they will likely be exploring trade options for Garoppolo. And for his part, he seems to be really enjoying it and enjoying this moment.”

Going on from Garoppolo could be difficult at first. He’s a consistent option behind centre, although not a standout. He helped lead a strong offense thanks to stars Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. However, Lance has the potential to develop into more than Garoppolo is at the moment. San Francisco makes the smart move to get Lance up and running after a year of being owned by Jimmy G.

It’s a tough break for Garoppolo, who overcame injury to help the 49ers get into the playoffs. He admitted he’s been thinking about his future with the team and now it seems imminent that these playoffs will be his final drive.

While the fate of San Francisco’s season weighs on Garoppolo’s performance against a stingy Dallas defense, the state of the franchise’s future weighs the balance of Lance’s skills.

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Veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo entered the Week 18 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams knowing full well that this could have been his last game as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

What followed was a comeback for the ages and adding at least one more game to Jimmg GQ’s career. Garoppolo trailed 17-0 at the end of the second quarter and looked utterly lost in a game they had to win. Garoppolo led the 49ers back to a 27-24 overtime win.

With the win, San Francisco heads to Big D to face the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday afternoon’s NFC Wild Card Playoffs.

Related: NFL Playoff and Super Bowl Predictions

At a meeting with the media on Wednesday, Garoppolo admitted his uncertain future has weighed on him all season.

“It’s always in the back of my mind,” Garoppolo told reporters. “It really was in mine all season. I knew what season it was, knew everything that was and wasn’t going on behind the scenes. It was a little bit different.”

Related: Brave Predictions for 49ers Cowboys NFC Wild Card Game

Jimmy Garoppolo’s future remains clouded ahead of the NFL playoffs

January 9, 2022; Inglewood, California, United States; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) celebrates as he leaves the field after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in overtime of the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

A few months earlier, the 49ers had exhausted two prospective first-round picks and a third-round pick to trade for quarterback Trey Lance. You’re not trading that capital unless you expect the quarterback to start sooner rather than later.

With Garoppolo injured (thumbs) in Week 17, Lance helped the 49ers stay in the playoff race with a 23-7 win over the Houston Texans. In that game, the small-school product completed 16 of 23 passes while rushing for 280 yards on two touchdowns. For some, this may have been the beginning of “Trey Area” in Santa Clara.

In fact, many called for Garoppolo to be benched at halftime against the Rams last week before the veteran made a comeback for the ages.

Related: Bold Predictions for the NFL Wild Card Playoffs

What does this mean for the Super Bowl quarterback? It’s cloudier than ever.

On the one hand, Garoppolo has a $26.91 million cap hit for next season. San Francisco escapes by saving more than $25 million. For his part, Lance’s cap hit is just $7.75 million. From a financial and team building perspective, it makes sense for San Francisco to trade or release Garoppolo.

All of this is complicated by the fact that these 49ers with Garoppolo under center had a ton more success than other quarterbacks during the Kyle Shanahan era.

• Record with Jimmy Garoppolo: 31-14
• Record without Jimmy Garoppolo: 8-26

Those are some absolutely absurd splits right there.

Realistically, Garoppolo’s future could depend on what happens in Dallas on Sunday and possibly progressing in the playoffs.

Much like we saw after the 49ers’ performance in the Super Bowl in February 2020, a deep run in the playoffs would make it difficult for San Francisco to leave Garoppolo. Recall that a month after the Super Bowl appearance, the team’s leadership decided against going after Tom Brady.

As for Garoppolo, he wants to continue as long as possible.

“These guys on this team, I love this team. i love the players i love everything about it It’s a good group to be here, a fun group. We want to keep this thing going for as long as possible,” the quarterback said.

WATCH: Sportsnaut’s Carolyn Manno on the latest NFL rumours

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