49ers Must not let Jimmy Garoppolo Participate in Training Camp
Jimmy Garoppolo was absent for all of the 49ers' OTAs.
Considering he his rehabbing his surgically repaired throwing shoulder, the 49ers excused Garoppolo from attending.
It would have made zero sense to make Garoppolo come up at any point just to stand on the sideline as he watches his replacement Trey Lance. Trading Garoppolo is still an objective for the 49ers despite there being a nonexistent market. With the way this is trending, Garoppolo is poised still be on the team by and through training camp. He'll also be healthy by then, which means he can participate in practice. That is something that Kyle Shanahan can foresee happening.
“I'll think about that when that day comes," said Shanahan, "but Jimmy is under contract with us and if he was healthy, right now I would see him coming to practice. Unless we traded him.”
Under no circumstance must the 49ers let Garoppolo take snaps in training camp.
Excusing him for training camp like they did with OTAs has to happen. This is now Lance's team to lead and start for. Allowing Garoppolo to participate in training camp would be a disservice to Lance by the 49ers. Having the former starter participate in practice would be extremely awkward and inconceivable. A situation like that is just unheard of.
From Shanahan to the players, everyone on the 49ers indicated some sort of annoyance or impatience from the constant quarterback questions during last year's training camp. If they thought that was bad last year, it is going to be exponentially worse this year.
Plus, if the plan to trade Garoppolo is legitimate, then it makes ZERO sense to let him join in training camp. Why give precious reps to a guy who isn't going to be there for the regular season? Then there is also the chance of him sustaining an injury again. Now, Garoppolo can easily do that on his own working out away from the facility. But having that happen on their own grounds looks worse than if he did it outside of it.
All it is going to take is for ONE practice to go sideways for Lance, then Garoppolo returning will start to be entertained. The 49ers cannot allow their training camp to turn into a circus. I don't believe the players will be divided if Lance and Garoppolo actually took reps, but there isn't a convincing reason to allow that risk to occur.
Leave Garoppolo in the past and leave him at home for training camp.
