49ers Coach Open To Possibility Of Star Quarterback Leaving Next Season

KEY POINTS

Kyle Shanahan is aware that Jimmy Garoppolo could be traded at some point next season
The 49ers shifting to Trey Lance as the main play-caller is not entirely set
San Francisco is unlikely to keep Garoppolo as a backup due to the $26.95 million cap hit

Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers is currently recovering from surgery, meaning that the future of his pro-football career remains up in the air.

Although there have been suggestions that the two-time Super Bowl champion could be moving to a new NFL team, such has not happened.

Given that he is not at 100%, the chances of other teams trading for Garoppolo are unsurprisingly absent.

However, all that could change at some point once Garoppolo is ready to spring back to action.

He is most likely to try and show his stuff initially with the 49ers once he is given the green light to return to active duty.

Garoppolo underwent right shoulder surgery in the offseason and is not expected back by either June or early July, ESPN reported.

From there, such will determine if he can still play at a high level that will in turn spur interest from other clubs.

No less than Niners coach Kyle Shanahan seems to be aware of this although he stressed that any transaction involving the 30-year-old play-caller may only heat up once he can return to play NFL ball.

"I expect him at some time, most likely, to be traded, but who knows? That's not a guarantee," Shanahan said in a report from CBS Sports. "It's been on hold when (surgery) happened. When he's healthy, we will see what happens."

Hence, there is a chance that the Niners may keep Garoppolo if no team is willing to take him in.

That could make sense for the coming season, especially if Trey Lance is unable to show that he is ready to be the team's starting quarterback.

It seems San Francisco is just waiting for the right time to transition to Lance.

Until that time comes, Shanahan is likely to go with Garoppolo as the team’s starting quarterback unless the Illinois native performs poorly.

The scenario may only change once the 22-year-old Lance proves he is ready to be the new face of the Niners.

If that would be the case, San Francisco is unlikely to cling on to Garoppolo as a backup quaterback–especially considering he carries a $26.95 million cap hit this year for the 49ers.