Trey Lance the Likely Starter vs. Bears
In a move with a definite impact on the season opener at Soldier Field, the San Francisco 49ers have given quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo permission to seek a trade.
Such a move has long been rumored and ESPN reported it has actually come down now, which means there could be no doubt the Bears will face quarterback Trey Lance in his third NFL start on Sept. 11 at Soldier Field.
Garoppolo had offseason shoulder surgery and it clouds whether any team would trade for him at this point. Most likely they would need to see a workout to know he is healthy.
Whether there would actually be a trade is questionable.
Garoppolo has a $24.2 million salary and a team could be anticipating the 49ers would cut him now. So they would be better off waiting and signing him to a new contract than to take such a large salary cap hit.
All 49ers publisher Grant Cohn, writing for FanNation, said he expectes the 49ers will wind up keeping Garoppolo as a backup even at that huge price rather than just cut him.
Garoppolo, who played high school football at suburban Rolling Meadows, has started against and beat the Bears in the teams' last two matchups.
One was the first game he started for San Francisco after being traded in 2017 to the 49ers. He completed 26 of 37 for 293 yards with an interception but couldn't get San Francisco into the end zone. Robbie Gould, instead, kicked five field goals in a 15-14 49ers win.
The other game was last year when Justin Fields made a spectacular 22-yard cross-field run for a TD and the 49ers rallied to take control in the second half 33-22 behind 17 of 28 for 322 yards by Garoppolo. In the game, Garoppolo scored two touchdowns on runs.
Trey Lance lost a start against the Cardinals last year and then later in the year led the 49ers to a win over the Houston Texans. Lance completed 41 of 71 for 57.7% and 603 yards with five touchdown passes and two interceptions in limited play last year.
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