49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo hints shoulder still isn't 100% from offseason surgery

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has again hinted his surgically repaired shoulder still isn't 100 percent, but it is regaining strength.

"It’s getting there," Garoppolo explained, per the 49ers' website. "The shoulder obviously, you’re always trying to get that better and better, strengthen it, be able to make some of the throws that you used to make, so I don’t think that will ever go away completely. But no, I feel like I’m in a good spot. I feel like our offense as a whole, every week keeps getting better and better and we just have to keep that trend going right now."

Garoppolo underwent surgery in March that essentially made him untradeable before signing a restructured contract in August to stay with the 49ers as the backup to Trey Lance. The 31-year-old returned to the top of the depth chart when Lance suffered a broken right ankle in Week 2 and admitted on multiple occasions in October the mending shoulder wasn't where he wanted it to be this fall. 

The current state of Garoppolo's arm had him thinking twice about certain throws as recently as the team's most recent game--during the 31-14 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 30 that the 49ers notched before their bye. 

"Some, you see the window and you’re like, 'I can make that throw.' And that split second it goes through your head and you can’t make that throw the same as you used to, but one thing I’ve noticed is my arm just keeps getting stronger in certain areas," he remarked. "Stamina is always getting better each week. And we’re all working at getting better at things and that’s what I’m working at right now." 

Per ESPN stats, Garoppolo heads into the weekend sixth among eligible quarterbacks with a 100.7 passer rating, tied for eighth with a 66.7% completion percentage, and tied for third with 8.1 yards per pass attempt. He's also 22nd with a 47.6 total QBR and has thrown 11 touchdown passes with four interceptions in seven games and six starts. 

The 4-4 Niners host the 5-3 Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night.