49ers QB Garoppolo's calf injury not as severe as first thought?

Jimmy Garoppolo has thrown five TD passes and two interceptions for the 49ers this season. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo (calf) could play vs. Cardinals?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 10/4/21

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan always preferred to start veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo over rookie and third-overall draft pick Trey Lance this fall, but Shanahan had to go to the first-year pro in Sunday's 28-21 loss to the Seattle Seahawks after Garoppolo suffered a calf contusion.

Garoppolo couldn't hide his frustrations when speaking with reporters about the issue that originally was thought could keep him out of action for multiple weeks:

According to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, however, Shanahan told the media on Monday the 49ers will re-evaluate Garoppolo on Wednesday and added that the QB1 could potentially be in the lineup for this coming Sunday's game at the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals.

Shanahan has repeatedly insisted since the spring that there is no quarterback competition or controversy in San Francisco and that Garoppolo is his starter, and that seems to still be the case as long as the 29-year-old is healthy enough to play. Lance completed nine of 18 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns with 41 rushing yards on seven attempts in the losing effort and would be in line to start against Arizona if Garoppolo is sidelined.

The 49ers have their bye week following the Cardinals game, so Shanahan could elect to sit Garoppolo in Week 5 so that he's ready to go for the matchup against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 24.

While the 49ers fell to 2-2 on the season on Sunday, Arizona improved to 4-0 via an impressive 37-20 win over the previously undefeated Los Angeles Rams.

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