Jimmy Garoppolo is the 49ers' Quarterback of the Future... for now

"I expect Jimmy (Garoppolo) to be our starter next year."

That is what Kyle Shanahan said at his press conference on Tuesday when asked about the future of his starting quarterback.

Garoppolo's future has been debated ever since the 49ers choked in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. It is just a never-ending debate. His limited game play this season has only fueled the fire to that discussion. Garoppolo just has not been good this year.

Still, he is under contract and it is why Shanahan started his answer off by saying he "expects" him as the starter in 2021. It only makes sense considering he is still under contract.

Jimmy Garoppolo is the 49ers' quarterback of the future... for now.

Anything can change when the offseason truly begins for the 49ers. As of now, they are still very well in the playoff hunt, so of course Shanahan is going to keep his support of Garoppolo with six games left in the season.

What else is Shanahan supposed to say there? That he doesn't believe in Garoppolo's ability and that they are exploring their options?

Not EVERYTHING Shanahan, or any head coach for that matter, should be taken at face value. There needs to be a grain of salt taken whenever these coaches speak. Shanahan's response to the question regarding Garoppolo's future was the perfect answer. It keeps the confidence in Garoppolo stable, while also nipping any possible speculation in the bud.

Shanahan's current focus is still on the 2020 season so long as the team still has a chance to make the playoffs.

"We are not out of the playoffs yet. I've been on a team that was 3-6 going into a bye week that ended up winning their division. I think we have guys on this team capable of finishing this the right way. We've gotta do it one game at a time and I hope Jimmy can come back and be a part of that but to think that we've made any decisions on anybody going into the future isn't the case."

Make no mistake. The 49ers will certainly explore their options in the offseason. It is why Adam Peters, Vice President of Players Personnel, was at the most recent BYU game to scout out their quarterback Zach Wilson. Teams are always going to conduct their due diligence on players even if their is no need at the position.

So while Shanahan "expects" Garoppolo as the starter, that can very well change as the season unfolds.