49ers waiting for 'desperate' team to trade for QB Jimmy Garoppolo?

Nothing has officially changed as it pertains to the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback situation less than three full weeks before the NFL Draft opens on April 28. Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo remains on the roster, and he is still recovering from surgery to repair a torn capsule in his throwing shoulder even though releasing him would reportedly save the club roughly $25 million in cap space at a time when 2021 rookie Trey Lance is waiting to become San Francisco's QB1. 

49ers general manager John Lynch somewhat defiantly said at the league's annual meetings in late March he doesn't "foresee" releasing Garoppolo, and franchise CEO Jed York suggested he's open to keeping the 30-year-old as a high-priced backup option. The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami later wrote he believed there is a "97% chance" Garoppolo won't be on the roster when training camp sessions begin. 

It appears Mike Sando of The Athletic has heard otherwise.  

For a piece published on Friday, Sando explained that one NFL executive believes the 49ers are happy to wait things out regarding Garoppolo's future. 

"Someone will get desperate," that unnamed individual said. "I’d even keep him through the season. Why get rid of a guy just to get rid of him to play the other guy if you know Jimmy has value? And Jimmy has value."

A different executive remarked: 

"The answer is holding onto Jimmy and hoping someone doesn’t draft someone, or there is an injury, but at $24 million, no one is going to have the ability to carry that anyway. The question for the 49ers is, would you pay Jimmy a bunch of it now and try to make him more palatable? If you are Jimmy and the money is unguaranteed, how much would you take from the 49ers as a guarantee knowing you may get stuck there, and they can control your destination? Both sides have risk."

The 49ers were one successful NFC Championship offensive drive away from returning to the Super Bowl with Garoppolo under center and, apparently, can afford to keep him without sinking other offseason plans. Patience could ultimately be a virtue for San Francisco no matter the outcome of this particular situation.