San Francisco has lost its top two quarterbacks this season — one to a season-ending ankle injury and the other to a foot ailment that is likely to end his campaign. While Trey Lance will not return before the 49ers’ offseason program, the door is slightly ajar for Jimmy Garoppolo to return during the postseason.
Garoppolo avoided a Lisfranc injury, and a subsequent report indicated he will not need surgery. This would put a recovery in time for a return late in the playoffs on the table, but Kyle Shanahan did his best to minimize this scenario’s likelihood. But general manager John Lynch said the team does plan to keep Garoppolo on its 53-man roster.
“What I can tell you, as of right now, we’re not going to move Jimmy to IR,” Lynch said during an interview with KNBR’s Paul McCaffrey and Markus Boucher (h/t 49ers Web Zone). “I think we’re just going to carry him on our roster, and we’re going to kind of see how this rehab process goes. There’s a natural healing process that has to take place.”
Lynch confirmed no tendon tears occurred but noted the team will not rush Garoppolo back to simply increase its chances of winning a sixth Super Bowl. The 49ers worked with Garoppolo on a trade this offseason, but the parties reached a solution in late August to reunite. Shanahan approached Garoppolo about the compromise shortly after training camp began, and after the longtime San Francisco starter did not find a trade partner, they agreed on a reunion. It appears the sides will work together and prioritize Garoppolo’s long-term interests after his latest injury as well.
Garoppolo’s restructure prevents the 49ers from franchise-tagging him in 2023. Barring an extension — which was in play prior to the injury — the 31-year-old passer is headed toward free agency come March. Still, Lynch did not slam the door shut regarding a January return. Garoppolo’s seven- to eight-week timetable would line up with either the divisional round or the NFC championship game.
“I think there was a lot of good news in that it wasn’t the Lisfranc. There weren’t torn tendons and all that,” Lynch said. “There’s a healing process that has to take place. How quickly it will heal, that’s in the good lord’s hands, and so we’ll sit back and see. I think we were encouraged, but I think Kyle also said it’s also highly unlikely. It’s a big ask.
“Jimmy’s got a really bright future and a lot of years in front of him. We’re not going to put him in a bad position. So we’ll continue to consult with the doctors and let them kind of guide that decision. But there was some encouraging news earlier this week.”
This will be a long time for the 49ers to carry a player on their active roster they do not deem likely to play again this season. San Francisco’s IR situation did become complicated a few weeks ago, however, and Elijah Mitchell‘s second MCL sprain this year will limit the NFC West leaders’ options regarding injury activations.
The 49ers have already activated Jimmie Ward, linebacker Curtis Robinson, Mitchell (after MCL sprain No. 1), Azeez Al-Shaair, tackle Colton McKivitz, defensive lineman Jordan Willis and Jason Verrett. After the league gave teams unprecedented freedom to activate players on and off IR in 2020 and ’21, it put an eight-activation cap on such moves this year. Players activated from teams’ PUP, NFI and IR lists are grouped together under this formula, giving the 49ers — who also have defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw on IR and just saw D-lineman Hassan Ridgeway suffer a pectoral strain that will cost him six to eight weeks — in a tight spot. Ridgeway remains on San Francisco’s active roster.
The 49ers signed Josh Johnson off the Broncos practice squad, bringing the team- and league-hopping QB back for a fourth time. But this year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, will be tasked with steering the ship to the playoffs. Garoppolo’s potential return will be a key NFC subplot during this span, should the 49ers remain alive by mid-January.
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