Two Reasons the 49ers Haven't Released Jimmy Garoppolo
For the last five months, the 49ers have tried to trade Jimmy Garoppolo.
A market for him just never established and it only became increasingly difficult with his throwing shoulder surgery among other things. With Baker Mayfield en route to the Panthers, a market for a starting quarterback is nonexistent. Releasing Garoppolo is the best, and only, option for the 49ers to enact.
However, the 49ers have remained consistent that unless Garoppolo is traded, he will remain on the team, citing reasons that "he is too good of a quarterback" to release. A lot of delusion is going on with the 49ers in that sense as they're clearly overvaluing Garoppolo. But there could be another aspect here as to why the 49ers haven't released Garoppolo.
In fact, there are two specific reasons the 49ers haven't cut ties with Garoppolo yet.
The first one is the obvious, they do not want to be on the hook for his $7.5 million injury guarantee that will lock in if they cut him right now. Until Garoppolo passes a physical, the 49ers are stuck with him. Even a trade won't be feasible here as a team will want Garoppolo to be ready to go as soon as he is acquired. It is not like he is that good of a quarterback to be acquired while he is on the mend. If he was better than he was, then he would've been traded by now regardless of his surgery.
Once Garoppolo can pass a physical, then the 49ers are clear to cut him. However, that still might not be enough for them. They could continue to be headstrong that they aren't going to outright cut Garoppolo. I wouldn't put it past Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch to maintain that stance. And this is where the second reason kicks in for why the 49ers haven't released him yet.
San Francisco is waiting for Garoppolo to demand a release.
Image is huge to the 49ers. As much as it doesn't seem like they do at times, they do cherish it. Holding onto Garoppolo until he demands a release will be on brand for them. When Garoppolo makes his demand, then the 49ers will look like the "player-first" franchise.
I would expect Garoppolo to demand his release after he passes a physical, which I bet comes around the start of training camp. That way Garoppolo can hit the market as a free agent and find a team. It doesn't behoove him to miss an entire training camp, which I could see the 49ers end up doing by holding him through the majority of it. Digging into a playbook and building rapport with his new teammates will take time. So for Garoppolo, he needs that month or so of being in a new facility to ensure he doesn't whiff entirely in 2022.
This is the only way I forsee the 49ers releasing Garoppolo. Until that happens, they'll continue to sing the same tune as they have been.
