49ers GM John Lynch Says Team Will Not Release Jimmy Garoppolo

While at the annual league meeting on Monday in Palm Beach, Fla., 49ers general manager John Lynch firmly said that the team will not release quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. San Francisco has been openly looking to trade the signal-caller but hasn’t gotten a formal offer from a team yet, Lynch said, per ESPN‘s Nick Wagoner. 

“I don’t foresee that,” Lynch said when asked if the team would release Garoppolo. “He’s too good a player. I think Jimmy will be playing for us or will be playing for someone else. He’s too good of a player not to be.”

Garoppolo underwent shoulder surgery earlier this month and won’t be able to throw until roughly July 4, according to an earlier report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Lynch said that his shoulder surgery discouraged potential partners in a trade and squads have elected to fill their quarterback needs elsewhere. 

“I think, ultimately, the teams that we were closest with, the surgery gave them pause and they ended up going in other directions,” Lynch said, per ESPN.

The only other quarterbacks on the roster for San Francisco are Trey Lance and Nate Sudfeld. It remains possible that Garoppolo could be on the 49ers’ roster for the 2022 season, but Lynch didn’t comment if there’d be a training camp quarterback battle for the starting spot. 

Garoppolo is set to cost the 49ers $26.95 million in 2022 cap space. If the team traded or released him, it would save the Niners $25.55 million in cap space. The 30-year-old threw for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in ’21 during his 15 games played.

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