49ers GM John Lynch: 'We're very committed to Trey Lance'

A saga that lasted for roughly half a year and that seemed likely to end with the San Francisco 49ers either trading or releasing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo took a surprising turn when it was learned Monday that Garoppolo accepted a pay cut via an agreement that includes a no-trade and no-tag clause to stay with the franchise and serve as the backup option behind 2021 rookie Trey Lance. 

Individuals such as 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have since been accused of mishandling or even botching the Garoppolo situation, in part because his return means a two-time NFC Championship-Game signal-caller and one-time Super Bowl starter is on the depth chart behind an unproven 22-year-old who may find himself looking over his shoulder if he struggles in September. 

When speaking with reporters on Thursday, Lance referred to Garoppolo as his "big bro" and added that "Jimmy's going to have my back through it all." Per David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone, Lynch insisted during a Friday appearance on the "Murph & Mac" show that airs on San Francisco sports radio station KNBR that the team is all-in on Lance heading into the Week 1 matchup at the Chicago Bears. 

"Kyle makes those decisions, who plays at quarterback and when," Lynch explained. "And I know Kyle, just like we've stated many times, we're very committed to Trey Lance. We've got a lot of belief in Trey.

"And it's nice to know that we have a couple of guys, with Jimmy and then (rookie) Brock Purdy, who earned his way onto this roster. We feel really good about a position where it's good to be strong at." 

It's worth noting that Garoppolo could agree to join any team that would have him before the trade deadline, as his restructured contract theoretically could make it easier for the Niners to find an interested buyer this fall.