Jimmy Garoppolo Misses Wednesday's Practice

Garoppolo has a Grade 3 sprain in his right thumb, which means a ligament is torn. Still, the 49ers would like Garoppolo to play this Sunday if he's physically able to throw a football.

SANTA CLARA -- Jimmy Garoppolo walked off the 49ers practice field before practice even started on Wednesday.

Garoppolo has a Grade 3 sprain in his right thumb, which means a ligament is torn. Still, the 49ers would like Garoppolo to play this Sunday if he's physically able to throw a football.

Wednesday was the first test.

“Today will be the first day (throwing)," Garoppolo said before practice.. We've been just trying to tack it down as much as possible, get some of that swelling out. Just trying to be cautious with it, but yeah, today we'll get out there, go throw it around and see how it feels.”

Apparently, it didn't feel great.

As the media walked onto the practice field, Garoppolo walked off with his right hand tucked inside a hand warmer, so we couldn't get a clear look at his injured thumb. Still, if he can't throw well enough to practice on Wednesday, it seems highly unlikely he will be healthy enough to play on Sunday.

Which means the 49ers most likely will start rookie Trey Lance, on whom they spent three first-round picks plus a third, because the 49ers wanted to have a top-level backup just in case the injury-prone Garoppolo misses time, as he frequently does.

The 49ers have won just seven games in fives seasons without Garoppolo. Does Shanahan feel his team is better equipped to weather a Garoppolo absence than in the past?

“I'd like to say that," Shanahan said. "We'll see. We still have to do the same stuff. We have to score more points than the other team. And the best way of doing that is us not turning it over and getting turnovers. I watched a really good team go in there last week with the Texans real down and I thought the Chargers went up and down the field their first four drives. I think it went touchdown, touchdown, field goal, they had 12 points to show for those three scores. And then the fourth one, they went right down and they threw a pick. Then I think they had one drive in the third quarter and I think two in the fourth. I think we can handle anybody being hurt, but you still have to go out and play good football to get a win. And it's not just the quarterback, it's everybody.”

Not exactly a confident answer.