Insider: 49ers may have to play Jimmy Garoppolo in preseason to trade him

The only thing seemingly for sure about the future of San Francisco 49ers veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo today is that the Carolina Panthers won't be trading for him now that they have former Cleveland Browns starter Baker Mayfield on their roster. 

Garoppolo is still recovering from March shoulder surgery and, per The Athletic's Ted Nguyen, hasn't been cleared to throw, meaning 2021 rookie Trey Lance would be San Francisco's QB1 for a game this weekend. At least one insider believes Garoppolo will have to take the field in a 49ers jersey next month so he can audition for any would-be buyers. 

According to David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone, NFL Network's Brian Baldinger appeared on San Francisco's 95.7 The Game to offer his take on the Garoppolo situation. 

"I don't think he's thrown a football yet," Baldinger said of Garoppolo. "I can't imagine anybody making a move to trade for Jimmy Garoppolo and a $25 million contract ... if they're not sure about his arm. And I don't know if you can be sure about that injury until you're actually in pads and getting hit, maybe playing a preseason game.

"Now, maybe I'm completely wrong on this...but I think other teams, whoever might be interested, and even if there is an injury someplace, I think they've got to see just how he's going to hold up and how he's affected by that surgery."

49ers legend and Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice recently suggested the club should let Garoppolo compete with Lance for the starting gig, and new questions about Lance's "arm fitness" could leave one wondering if head coach Kyle Shanahan wishes to keep Jimmy G around through the end of August as a "break glass in case of emergency" option.