NFL Rumors: Insider believes only one thing is stopping Jimmy Garoppolo from being traded
Jimmy Garoppolo has not been traded by the San Francisco 49ers for one reason, according to senior NFL insider Albert Breer.
On "The Rich Eisen Show," Breer stated that the quarterback’s shoulder surgery is the lone reason why he's still with the 49ers.
“I really do think Jimmy would have a starting job right now if it hadn't been for the shoulder surgery. I think somebody would have taken that swing on him. I think the issue you have now with Jimmy, because of the shoulder issue, is, can you count on him to be what he's been the last few years when you get to September and October?
And because he's only under contract for one more year. You're, by definition, acquiring him for 2022. So, you're Carolina, right? Like people's jobs are on the line in Carolina ... Do you trade for Jimmy, knowing he's going to miss the entire spring? He's not going to be throwing again until late June, early July, you know?
And even then, you may think that he's going to be okay, but that's sort of an unpredictable thing. Is he going to be full-go come training camp? And you're trying to put in a new offense, right, like with Ben McAdoo there.”
#49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, here at the NFC coaches breakfast, says he sees a scenario where Jimmy Garoppolo is on the roster in 2022 and acknowledges the surgery delayed trade talks. As for if both Trey Lance and Jimmy G are on the roster, Shanahan declines to name a starter.
Breer concluded his comments by saying that teams are looking at Garoppolo saying how good he is if healthy:
“So, there are all these things that, sort of, the shoulder complicates. And you know, if everybody's fighting for their job, then it becomes a little bit more difficult to kind of wrap your head around the idea of really going all-in on somebody like Jimmy.
And so, I think, with Jimmy, it's really more than anything else the shoulder that's complicated things. I do think that there are teams out there that look at Jimmy and say, ‘That guy could be a really good starting quarterback for us, if healthy.’ The problem is, he's not healthy right now.”
The 30-year-old quarterback injured his shoulder during San Francisco’s win in the Wild Card round over the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs in the 2021 season.
#49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo underwent shoulder surgery today, sources say. All went as expected (i.e. "successful surgery"). The plan and hope is Garoppolo is throwing well ahead of training camp. Only question is which team's camp it'll be.
Jimmy Garoppolo as San Francisco 49ers' quarterback
Since being traded to San Francisco from the New England Patriots in October 2017, Garoppolo has started 45 games for the team. He’s led the franchise to two NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl appearance back in the 2019 season.
The two-time Super Bowl winner has thrown for 11,162 yards, 66 touchdowns, and 38 interceptions in five seasons with the 49ers.
We’ll see where Garoppolo plays his ninth season in the league come the 2022 season.