The 49ers have tried, repeatedly, to sell the notion that they would keep quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo through 2022, paying his $25 million in total compensation and letting him compete with 2021 first-rounder Trey Lance. It was a clumsy, awkward effort to create trade value for Garoppolo.
To his immense credit, coach Kyle Shanahan has abandoned the ruse. During Tuesday’s PFT Live, we played clips from Shanahan’s recent appearance on Tim Kawakami’s podcast. It became clear, after listening to all of it, that the 49ers are moving forward with Lance — and that Garoppolo will be off the team by Week One.
So he’ll be traded by then, or he’ll be cut. They’ll need to cut him before Week One to avoid having his $24.2 million base salary becoming fully-guaranteed.
The question is whether the 49ers can find a trade partner before his ability to collect his salary as termination pay becomes fully vested. Also, will Garoppolo play along, or will he try to get cut sooner than later?
The 49ers likely will try to keep Garoppolo out of harm’s way during camp and the preseason, since a fluke injury for the injury-prone quarterback would potentially put the 49ers on the hook for the full amount. Garoppolo could try to push back, if only to try to push his way out.
Regardless, he’ll end up being out before Week One. The question is whether he’ll land with a new team that gives him enough time to have a reasonable chance to play in 2022.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan wisely abandons the Jimmy Garoppolo ruse originally appeared on Pro Football Talk