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That’s a pretty strong statement.
After John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan’s joint press conference this week, in which Shanahan declined to guarantee Garoppolo would be on the roster, let alone alive by this Sunday, it seemed like the 49ers were far less committed to retaining Garoppolo than they had been a month earlier. At the end of March, they stated that they believed they could still win with Garoppolo and likely wouldn’t be comfortable enough in their rookie quarterback to risk moving on from him.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, that original stance may be legitimate.
Multiple teams are expected to contact the 49ers today to inquire about the availability of QB Jimmy Garoppolo, per sources. But as of early this morning, the chances of him being traded are, in the words of one source, “remote.” Let’s see if anything changes in next 72 hours.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 29, 2021
That would make a lot more sense if the 49ers go the route of Trey Lance. Lance, the standout quarterback from North Dakota State, has flashed indefatigable top-tier traits; arm talent, processing, mental acuity, and raw athleticism, but has only thrown 318 passes in his career with the Bisons, and is clearly far from a finished product.
While it seems doubtful San Francisco would sit the quarterback they draft for long, if at all, the offseason is likely to be abbreviated once again, making the learning curve steeper than usual.
If Lance is indeed the pick, retaining Garoppolo would make a whole lot more sense than if it’s, say, Mac Jones, who is in a similar mold to Garoppolo and is unlikely to display any physical traits that greatly differentiate them, which might provide for some unrest in the locker room.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Silver, there is quite a bit of buzz around Lance.
There's a lot of Trey Lance/Niners noise out there in NFL GM/coach circles this morning… for what it's worth. Eight hours or so till we all find out…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 29, 2021
Here’s some additional, but unsubstantiated spice, because it’s going to be that sort of day.
? Our sources have told us that Mac Jones AINT GOING #3 #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/oeOFM8pqmd
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 29, 2021