The Trey Lance era in San Francisco has officially begun. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters today that the team is fully committed to last year’s third-overall pick as their starting QB, thus eliminating any QB controversy as veteran Jimmy Garoppolo lingers on the roster.
“We have moved on to Trey,” Shanahan said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “This is Trey’s team. That’s nothing against Jimmy. We made that decision a year ago and we’re going with that. We’re not going to mess around with that anymore. Jimmy understands that fully. That’s a business decision and that’s what makes it not awkward. Jimmy knows we’re going with Trey. Trey knows we’re going with Trey and our team does, and everyone likes both of those guys.”
It has been known since last April that San Francisco would hand the No. 1 role to Lance no later than his second season in the NFL. A deal sending Garoppolo elsewhere has thus been seen as inevitable throughout a 2022 offseason filled with several major moves at the position. The QB’s health obviously played a role in the fact that a trade still hasn’t materialized, but with few suitors (if any) on the market, the organization recently gave Garoppolo permission to seek a trade. According to Wagoner, Garoppolo met with Shanahan and GM John Lynch to discuss their next steps today, the first conversation the trio had had since February. Shanhan also told reporters that he’d like to have Garoppolo off the roster as “soon as we can.”
“We spoke when he left and we had a pretty good understanding of what was going on, and because of the surgery and the ramifications of that in other teams’ eyes, nothing has transpired as of yet,” Lynch said. “But he’s here, he’s reported, we’ll see what happens in the physical and we’ll move forward accordingly.”
Meanwhile, Garoppolo won’t be placed on the physically unable to perform list. As Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets, the quarterback was cleared today after undergoing his physical. This was the intended plan as Garoppolo continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery; Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury tweets that Garoppolo will do his throwing rehab on the sideline while the rest of the team is practicing. Plus, as NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo points out (on Twitter), there was little chance the 49ers were going to fail Garoppolo’s physical as they continue to seek a trade for the veteran. Today’s move also means the 49ers wouldn’t be on the hook for the player’s $7.5MM injury guarantee if he is ultimately released.
Garoppolo isn’t the only major story in San Francisco. We learned earlier today that wideout Deebo Samuel reported to camp despite seeking a new contract. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the two sides are not close on money, but the two sides are on the same page when it comes to Samuel’s role in 2022. The player has expressed a desire to get less carries between the tackles and reduce the wear and tear on his body.
What does everyone think about this in a fantasy perspective?
He’ll suck but score 8 rushing TDs and throw some easy ones on YAC. So he’ll be top 20
I ran a mock draft on yahoo today. They have Trey ahead of Carr & Rodgers. I’d go w/ the proven vets though.
Anyone taking Lance ahead of Carr is wrecking their own fantasy draft.
I don’t know how I feel about Lance going ahead of Rodgers. Aaron is the better QB by a mile, but I have no idea who he’s going to throw the ball to.
I’d say at potential at least, we could see him being a Jalen Hurts. Aka an average NFL QB but a GREAT fantasy QB due to his legs and rushing abilities. I just don’t see his passing, even with Deebo being more traditionally a Wr and hopefully Mitchell as the feature back, being that amazing his first season as a starter. Much like Hurts imo.
I’d draft him and stash him see how he does.
I’d certainly take a proven vet but doesn’t hurt to roster him see how he does.
Lance didn’t look like an NFL QB in his two starts last year. That doesn’t bode well for the 49ers, but they have apparently convinced themselves that Lance is a better option than the oft-injured Garoppolo. Time will tell…
So over 200 yards and 2 tds vs Texans isn’t good enough for you?
He played injured. Give him a chance
I have my doubts about this working out.
I am filled w doubt about this
So if Garoppolo’s consistent injuries are his weakness in being a starting QB, does that make him potentially the #1 backup in the league?
Possibly but no GM is going to take on a $24MM contract for a backup who is consistently injured.
I’ve never seen Lance play.
Is there any evidence that he’s good beyond Lynch’s sunk cost?
Not from his play. Dudes built like a brick shithouse though
You can watch his two starts on youtube. Each game had a less then desirable half and a very good half. He just needs the reps and experience.
How fast can I drive to ceasers to bet rams win division? Easy money
Depends on where you are and which ceasars you’re going to
Maybe Little Ceasers ?
Rams are absolutely going to win the division, but I wouldn’t bet against the Cardinals hanging in there and keeping it close. If the Rams get a rash of significant injuries, who knows? I don’t think it’s a division where you have a juggernaut and 3 bad teams, though.
Only if Kyler studies tape 4 hours a week…
How fast does your car go? Because that would probably be the obvious answer. But you should probably be more focused on saving your money as opposed to wasting gas and risking getting a ticket for a +125 bet that is probably not happening.
Let’s go Brandon
How exactly is it that Garropolo loses his injury guarantee if the 49ers have deliberately passed his physical when he is still effectively injured?
That doesn’t sound like a good deal for JimmyG. JimmyG has done quite a bit of good for SF, taking them to a Super Bowl while going 31-14 W/L.
Ya Jimmy didn’t deserve this he also deserved to be replaced by someone markedly better than him which doesn’t seem to be the case
It’s going to be interesting to see how this works out. I guess it’s strange to watch an organization that was so close to a Super Bowl appearance decide to discard the guy who led them in favor of a largely unproven talent.
49ers would have a Super Bowl ring if their coach decided not to pass the ball with a lead in the fourth q with a few minutes left.
“We made that decision a year ago and we’re going with that
Couldn’t have said that sooner?
Why is everybody acting like this wasn’t going to happen? As soon as Lance was taken, you knew he would be starting by year 2. Jimmy was good but has his flaws. Lance will be better….give him time.