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Latest On 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo

February 18th, 2023 at 7:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 49ers endured one of the more bizarre situations under center in 2022, highlighted by their ability to qualify for the NFC title game despite major injuries being suffered by each of their top three quarterbacks. That leaves their outlook heading into the offseason rather cloudy, with the likely exception of Jimmy Garoppolo.

The veteran was long thought to be on his way out of the Bay Area last offseason, with Trey Lance formally named the team’s starter moving forward. Garoppolo’s offseason shoulder surgery complicated a potential acquisition, though, and he remained in the Bay Area on a re-worked contract. That proved to be a wise move for both parties, after Lance’s ankle injury thrust Garoppolo back into the starter’s role.

The 31-year-old won seven of his 10 starts this year, helping keep the team stay consistent on offense. Garoppolo played himself into consideration for another 49ers pact, but he suffered yet another major injury which kept him sidelined for the stretch run and postseason. In no small part because of that, he is expected to depart in free agency this time around.

Garoppolo has long been considered one of the league’s best locker room presences and a team-friendly passer to build around. However, the tone struck by head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch during the team’s season-ending media availabilities pointed to tension between themselves and the former Patriots second-rounder. Indeed, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic notes that the relationship between Garoppolo and San Francisco’s brain trust “seems to have gone a bit south” in the time leading up to the NFC championship game (subscription required).

A Garoppolo return was at one point thought to be in play before the 49ers’ loss to the Eagles, but the Super Bowl was understood to be the earliest point at which he realistically would have been able to suit up. That scenario never developed, with rookie sensation Brock Purdy and emergency backup Josh Johnson each suffering injuries in the NFC title game. Kawakami adds that he isn’t aware of a singular incident which led to a cooling of relations around Garoppolo, but the latter’s presence in 2023 would no doubt complicate the situation with Lance and Purdy.

Given the current QB landscape in the NFL, Garoppolo is likely to have no shortage of suitors. The Jets – who have been connected countless times to a potential Aaron Rodgers trade and recently met with free agent Derek Carr – have reportedly done homework on him. Given his background in the Bay Area, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo names the Texans (now led by HC DeMeco Ryans) as another squad to watch (video link). He adds the Titans, Raiders and Buccaneers to the list of potential destinations for Garoppolo, who will become increasingly sought-after if the likes of Lamar Jackson, Daniel Jones and Geno Smith play on the franchise tag.

Garoppolo’s impressive win-loss record in San Francisco is weighed down by his myriad of injury troubles, but leaving the team on a relatively sour note would represent an underwhelming end to his tenure there. He figures to have plenty of options with respect to his next chapter, however.

NFC West Rumors: 49ers QBs, Bullen, Benton, Hopkins

February 5th, 2023 at 9:40pm CST by Ely Allen

If the 49ers are familiar with one thing, it’s injured quarterbacks. When season starter Trey Lance went down with a season-ending ankle injury only two games into the season, San Francisco reverted back to Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo would start the next 10 games before suffering a foot injury that would require season-ending surgery. This led the team to start rookie Brock Purdy, the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Purdy responded to being forced into the spotlight with five straight wins in his starts to end the season. He would then help the 49ers win their first two playoff games before ultimately falling to the Eagles in the NFC Championship after suffering an elbow injury that is expected to take six months to recover.

With the emergence of Purdy this season, San Francisco seems renewed in their desires to move Garoppolo, something they attempted to no avail last offseason. Even with Garoppolo out of the picture, what happens when both Lance and Purdy return to full health? That question was posed to Matt Barrows of The Athletic this week in a Q&A with 49ers fans.

Barrows seems to believe that there will be no controversy when both players are healthy. Purdy presumably won’t be healthy until maybe the start of training camp. Until then, Lance will perform as the team’s lead quarterback in the spring. Once Purdy is back in the picture, though, Barrows asserts that he will be the 49ers’ first-team quarterback. Purdy showed an ability to operate within the 49ers offense and play winning football. Lance, on the other hand, hasn’t been able to prove that he can stay on the football field, unfortunately. Dating back to his final collegiate season at North Dakota State, in the past three years, out of a possible 44 games, Lance has appeared in nine.

Throughout the spring, Lance will be under center earning some much needed snaps with the 49ers offense. Once Purdy is healthy, Barrows is under the impression that he will man the starting quarterback position over Lance.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West, starting with a couple of coaching changes:

  • After 11 years coaching in the NFL and four years in Arizona, former Cardinals outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will be leaving the league to become the outside linebackers coach/pass rush coordinator at the University of Illinois, according to the school’s official Twitter account. Bullen has experience in the Big Ten as a University of Iowa alumnus and will be returning to the state in which he grew up.
  • The Rams are looking to replace offensive line coach Kevin Carberry, whom they dismissed alongside several other coaching assistants following the 2022 season. One candidate they will be considering is former Jets offensive line coach John Benton, as reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Benton has seen a rough 12 months, being arrested and charged with DUI in March 2022 and being dismissed by head coach Robert Saleh after his second year with the team. Benton still provides plenty of experience having served in the position for five franchises, including the Rams back when they resided in St. Louis. If he were hired to coach in Los Angeles, he would be reunited with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who joined Sean McVay‘s staff a little over a week ago.
  • Cardinals star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been rumored to be available in the trade market this offseason. For what it’s worth, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported this weekend that Hopkins was in the team facility on Friday and met with the team’s new general manager Monti Ossenfort.

49ers Do Not Expect To Re-Sign Jimmy Garoppolo

February 1st, 2023 at 2:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jimmy Garoppolo went from a player the 49ers openly insisted was on the trade block to one who became the team’s primary starter this season. Just before Garoppolo’s latest injury, the 49ers had moved to a point they were ready to discuss another contract with the veteran passer.

Brock Purdy‘s emergence changed the team’s plans. Despite Purdy suffering a torn UCL that is expected to sideline him for at least six months, Kyle Shanahan said he does not expect Garoppolo back. The seventh-year 49ers coach said he does not see “any scenario” in which Garoppolo is part of next year’s team, via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch (on Twitter).

Garoppolo is set for free agency in March, but the other two 49ers quarterbacks are dealing with injuries at present. Purdy will almost certainly miss the team’s offseason program, and Trey Lance underwent two surgeries to repair a broken and dislocated ankle. Lance, however, said he expects to be 100% in time for OTAs, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com notes (video link).

With Purdy out of commission for a while and Lance coming back from a major injury, the 49ers could be in need of offseason QB help. But Shanahan does not expect the team to pursue any veterans. Both Lance and Purdy are starter-level options, Shanahan added (via Branch), and it appears the 49ers will go forward with their rookie-contract duo. Prior to Purdy’s elbow injury, he had performed at a level that was expected to give him the edge for the 2023 starting job going into training camp. Purdy’s elbow trouble reopens the door wider for Lance, who began this season as San Francisco’s starter.

Purdy has not determined a course of action yet, but GM John Lynch said (via Wagoner) the expectation is an internal brace surgery will be required. This procedure differs from Tommy John surgery, and it would be expected to sideline the seventh-round pick for around six months. Purdy would be on track to throw for a few months leading up to receiving clearance to return to action, but Sunday’s injury will certainly reshape his offseason.

Garoppolo stands to have at least one more option in free agency, as no team will be signing Tom Brady this offseason. Garoppolo’s higher-profile ex-teammate announced his retirement Wednesday, both taking him out of the equation for the 49ers — though, Shanahan did not make it sound like they would have been interested — and opening an additional chair for Garoppolo. The six-year 49ers passer was aiming to return from his foot fracture by Super Bowl LVII. Garoppolo, 31, has suffered a host of major injuries during his 49ers tenure, but as of now, he is expected to be healthy going into free agency.

The injuries — an ACL tear (2018), a high ankle sprain (2020), his shoulder procedure (2022) and now this Jones fracture — stand to affect his market. But Garoppolo will undoubtedly be linked to multiple teams ahead of free agency — the Jets are a team looking into him — as his younger 49er teammates vie for the starting job.

Brock Purdy Suffers Torn UCL

January 30th, 2023 at 5:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Josh Johnson‘s exit forced Brock Purdy back into the NFC championship game, San Francisco’s starter was playing through a significant elbow injury. More clarity is emerging on Purdy’s malady, though a definitive recovery timetable remains elusive.

Purdy suffered a torn UCL, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The rookie sensation suffered a complete tear, per Pelissero, but as of now, the hope is he can avoid Tommy John surgery. Should Purdy manage to avoid the common baseball procedure — one that can knock pitchers out of action for well beyond a year — he could be back in time for 49ers training camp, Pelissero adds (via Twitter). Indeed, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes the current plan is for Purdy to be sidelined for around six months (Twitter link).

A repair procedure, known as an internal brace operation, would allow for this shortened absence. A reconstructive operation — the Tommy John route — would shelve Purdy for the foreseeable future and throw his career off axis. Tommy John surgery would not sideline Purdy for as long as it would MLB arms, Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes (subscription required), noting a seven- to nine-month hiatus would be expected if this route is taken. But this procedure is highly uncommon for quarterbacks.

The Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate is seeking additional opinions, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. If Purdy avoids reconstructive surgery, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets he should be ready to throw in around three months.

The 49ers managed to advance to the NFC title game despite losing their top two quarterbacks, but they will go into the offseason without any of them healthy. Trey Lance suffered a fractured fibula and ligament damage that has required two ankle surgeries; the second occurred not too long ago. Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot in December, and although the veteran starter was viewed as a candidate to return before the 49ers’ season ended, he was unavailable for Sunday’s game. That created a disaster scenario for San Francisco, which was forced to turn to Johnson — a Denver practice squad arm for most of this season — before needing a severely limited Purdy again after Johnson left the game.

This will mark the second straight offseason in which the 49ers will see an injury cloud their quarterback outlook. Garoppolo’s March 2022 shoulder surgery hijacked his trade market and led him back to the Bay Area as Lance insurance, which became needed in Week 2. Lance’s performance and injury status makes his 49ers standing rather murky, but Purdy missing the offseason program will open the door to the former No. 3 overall pick having a better chance to reclaim his starting job. Going into the NFC title game, Purdy was the early favorite to land the 2023 gig after his stunning run of performances that guided the 49ers to this point. Now, the 49ers could go into their offseason program without either of their prospective 2023 options healthy.

Garoppolo is set for free agency in March. While a moot point now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported (via Twitter) Garoppolo would have had a chance to practice ahead of Super Bowl LVII. That bodes well for the passer’s free agency market, though his various injuries will impact his value this year.

Purdy, who is under contract through 2025, went down on the 49ers’ first drive; the injury effectively assured the Eagles of their fourth Super Bowl berth and the 49ers being turned back in the championship round for a second straight year. San Francisco has been loosely linked to Tom Brady, and hours before Garoppolo went down with his latest significant injury, the team was connected to wanting to discuss another contract. It will be interesting to see if the 49ers explore adding a veteran starter. The team will likely need to make a move of some sort at quarterback, given Purdy and Lance’s uncertain timetables set to bleed into the offseason program.

Latest On Jets’ QB Pursuit

January 29th, 2023 at 7:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Since the Jets’ 2022 season crashed to a halt amidst their quarterback struggles, they are widely expected to be active in pursuing a veteran addition at the position. The team has been very public about doing so, and clarity could be emerging with respect to the names they are targeting.

CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports that New York is “evaluating” Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo and Derek Carr. While he adds that the process is in its early stages, meaning more names will no doubt be added to that list, it comes as little surprise that those three are included in it. Rodgers was mentioned as a trade candidate for the Jets even before Nathaniel Hackett became the team’s new offensive coordinator, but increasingly so due to their connection with one another dating back to the latter’s time with the Packers.

Garoppolo was widely thought to be on his way out of San Francisco last offseason with the team turning its offense over to Trey Lance, but he ultimately remained on a re-worked contract. Now a pending free agent, he would not require trade compensation (as would be the case with Rodgers). His play after taking over for Lance appeared to help his value on the open market, but the 31-year-old then suffered what was initially believed to be a season-ending ankle injury. He may have been able to return in time for the Super Bowl, though the result of today’s NFC title game now makes that a moot point.

As for Carr, his days in Vegas are thought to be numbered, as the three-time Pro Bowler personally alluded to recently. He has begun doing “homework” on potential landing spots in a trade (since he has a no-trade clause), though the possibility remains that he get released and chooses his next team as a free agent.

That trio of passers is also one which Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network lists as targets for the Jets. New York showed signs of being a playoff contender in 2022 with a strong defense in particular, and a number of encouraging performances with a healthy Mike White at the helm of their offense. Interestingly, Pauline notes that “several” Jets players implored general manager Joe Douglas during their exit interviews to move on from Zach Wilson as their starting QB, in addition to firing offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

The latter move has already taken place, with Hackett now set to play a role in identifying the team’s top options to provide stability at the position relative to Wilson’s inconsistencies (although Pauline also notes that owner Woody Johnson still sees the 2021 No. 2 pick as salvageable). As the QB market takes shape, the Jets are sure to be key players in the case of several veteran passers.

49ers Rumors: Garoppolo, Bosa

January 26th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The story in the Bay Area for the last two months has been the play of 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. But for a team that has already seen their top two quarterback options for the season go down with injury, the prospect of having to turn to veteran, journeyman quarterback Josh Johnson is not an extremely attractive one as they prepare for the conference championship and Super Bowl. It was good news, then, when head coach Kyle Shanahan reported earlier this week that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had an “outside chance” of being available for this weekend’s game with a Super Bowl trip being even more likely, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

A more recent update from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has clarified that Garoppolo’s most recent X-rays have resulted in in him being downgraded to doubtful for the NFC Championship game. That doesn’t rule him out for the big game in two weeks’ time, though. If the 49ers make it past the Eagles for a trip to Arizona, they may see a significant upgrade to their quarterbacks room.

Purdy would most likely continue in his starting role, as the team has not lost with him at quarterback, but Garoppolo would be a massive upgrade at backup quarterback over Johnson. Johnson was given the roster spot for a reason, but Garoppolo’s years of familiarity and experience with the offense makes him much more suited for success in an emergency situation during the season’s biggest game.

Regardless, as big of a game as it is, San Francisco likely respects Garoppolo too much to rush him back into play if he’s not ready. If there is any danger of further injury, expect the two-deep to show Purdy and Johnson as the top options.

Here’s another rumor for San Francisco as they prepare to join rest of the NFL in the offseason, whether that be in three days or seventeen:

  • Continuing a story from the offseason, the 49ers still have every intention of extending star defensive end Nick Bosa. While the NFL’s reigning sack leader does have a fifth-year option on his rookie contract, San Francisco has no intention of letting him get anywhere near that close to free agency. According to a report from Rapoport, Bosa’s expectation will be nothing short of becoming the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Currently, by annual average value, that honor belongs to Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who makes $31.67MM per year, with Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt coming in a far off second at $28MM per year. Bosa’s older brother, Chargers outside linebacker Joey Bosa, currently sits in third at $27MM per year. The younger Bosa will demand a pretty penny, but San Francisco has made a point to invest in its young assets recently, rewarding such players as wide receiver Deebo Samuel, tackle Trent Williams, tight end George Kittle, and running back Christian McCaffrey handsomely. Expect that trend to continue as they attempt to lock down the potential 2022 Defensive Player of the Year.

Jimmy Garoppolo In-Season Return Remains In Play; 49ers Would Slot Him As QB2

January 17th, 2023 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

When the prospect of Jimmy Garoppolo‘s foot injury not being a season-ending setback surfaced, it looked like the 49ers’ Super Bowl hopes had new life. Several weeks since San Francisco’s former starter went down, he is still aiming to return. Should that happen, it will bolster the 49ers’ depth chart. But the team would change Garoppolo’s role if he can come back.

Garoppolo’s continued push to return for potentially the NFC championship game or Super Bowl LVII — should the team advance to either of those rounds — would not mean he regains his starting job. The 49ers are planning to stick with Brock Purdy as their starter, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports notes (video link).

Garoppolo, 31, is finishing up one of the more complicated years in the history of the quarterback position. A March 2022 shoulder surgery took him from surefire trade candidate to a freefalling stock that did not end up generating much interest by the time training camp rolled around. The 49ers, who had openly discussed plans to trade Garoppolo to greenlight the Trey Lance era, approached their longtime starter about a restructure to stay on as Lance insurance. That agreement became vital, as Lance went down with a season-ending injury in Week 2. After triggering some of his playing time-based incentives, Garoppolo sustained another major injury and has seen a seventh-round rookie bypass him.

Prior to the Dec. 4 injury, the 49ers were interested in another Garoppolo contract. But his latest injury changed San Francisco’s QB trajectory. Purdy has led the team to seven straight wins, counting his early-game relief appearance against the Dolphins, and has thrown 16 touchdown passes compared to four interceptions since taking over. Garoppolo also carries a 16-4 TD-INT ratio, though it came in 11 games.

The 49ers have won 11 straight — their longest win streak since they won 18 in a row between the 1989-90 seasons. Not only has Purdy commandeered the 49ers’ starting job for this season, he may well be set to pass Lance once the former No. 3 overall pick re-enters the equation.

This year’s Mr. Irrelevant should enter San Francisco’s 2023 training camp as the team’s starter, with The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami writing this is the assumed reality the 49ers have backed into thanks to the Iowa State product’s stunning late-season play (subscription required). Entering the NFL as a historically unusual prospect, Lance has only played more than two games in a season in one year (a dominant 2019 at North Dakota State) since graduating high school in 2018. A third overall selection being a backup going into Year 3 is not exactly an ideal plan, but Purdy has looked much readier to take over than Lance did during his stints under center in 2021 and ’22. Lance has since undergone a second surgery on his broken ankle.

For this season, Garoppolo returning would provide insurance — shaky as it may be, given his injury history — against a Purdy injury or his early surge fizzling. Even though Kyle Shanahan said initially Garoppolo coming back was a long-odds scenario, the prospect is still in play weeks later. The 49ers never put Garoppolo on IR. The team has Josh Johnson, the NFL’s journeyman of the moment who rejoined the team after spending most of the season on the Broncos’ practice squad, as the only healthy passer in place behind Purdy.

Garoppolo would obviously present a massive QB2 upgrade for the 49ers this season. Come March, however, it should be expected the nine-year veteran will hit the market and sign to start elsewhere.

Raiders Looking Into Tom Brady Addition

January 10th, 2023 at 10:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Tom Brady still has at least one more game to play for the Buccaneers, but that hasn’t stopped pundits (and, potentially, other NFL teams) from considering where he could play next season. During an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show (Twitter link), Albert Breer of TheMMQB said the Raiders are “unequivocally” looking into the possibility of adding the future Hall of Famer.

The Brady/Raiders comment was preceded by a question about Jimmy Garoppolo, with Breer noting that the Raiders are also doing their due diligince on the 49ers QB. In fact, Breer believes Derek Carr was thrown into a de facto competition with the two impending free agents, with Josh McDaniels, Dave Ziegler, and co. ultimately deciding they could squeeze more out of the quarterback position from someone else.

As Breer explains, when the current regime initially signed Carr to an extension, they thought they were locking in their equivalent of Alex Smith in Kansas City. In other words, the Raiders thought their veteran QB would be able to guide them to postseason performances while the front office identified their play-caller of the future. At 31, Jimmy G could allow the Raiders to continue with that plan, while Brady would obviously force the organization to go in a completely different direction as they load up for temporary contention.

With McDaniels and Ziegler having both worked alongside Brady and Garoppolo in New England, the connections are obvious, and it really wouldn’t be surprising if one of these QBs reunites with their former coach in Las Vegas. At the moment, the big question is which of these two quarterbacks is atop the Raiders’ wish list.

Elsewhere in Raiders QB news, the organization is set to meet with Carr soon. As Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal explains, the QB and the Raiders agreed to meet after the season to “discuss the situation and all the various options.”

49ers Aiming To Have Deebo Samuel, Elijah Mitchell At Practice This Week

December 26th, 2022 at 8:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyle Shanahan offered a rare 49ers news development Monday: the team did not suffer a notable injury during its most recent game. In fact, the 49ers are hoping to have two of their key cogs back at practice soon.

Deebo Samuel has progressed to the point the team hopes he can practice as soon as this week, Shanahan said, and Elijah Mitchell is on track to make a quicker return from his second MCL sprain this year. The 49ers are eyeing a Friday practice for Mitchell, via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch and ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner (Twitter links).

MCL sprains have provided trouble for the 49ers this season. Mitchell, Samuel and a few others have missed time because of this injury. Mitchell missed eight games because of the knee malady he suffered in Week 1. This time around, the timetable may not be as lengthy. Mitchell, who has gone from Week 1 starter to an often-used Christian McCaffrey backup, went down against the Saints late last month and has missed the required four games.

The 49ers designating Mitchell for return Friday would mean they can activate him as soon as Week 17 — an unlikely scenario — or as late as the divisional round, provided the team reaches that point. Even if the 49ers hold off on Mitchell playing this week or next, it appears he will be ready to return when the team begins its postseason slate.

Shanahan confirmed what has long been reported Monday; San Francisco’s final IR-return spot is being earmarked for Mitchell. The second-year running back has already returned from IR once this season, but an offseason rule change allows for the same player to be activated two times in a season. The other 49ers option here would be defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway, but Wagoner adds (via Twitter) Mitchell is closer to returning. Ridgeway has missed the past three games with a pectoral injury.

The 49ers did not place Samuel on IR, keeping the door open for an immediate return. The All-Pro wide receiver has missed the past two games with an MCL sprain and a sprained ankle. The 49ers did not seem as concerned about Samuel’s status compared to the likes of Mitchell or Azeez Al-Shaair, who also suffered an MCL sprain that sidelined him several weeks, indicating the recently extended pass catcher could return before the regular season ended. Samuel has missed the past two games. While Samuel (840 scrimmage yards) is not on the same pace he was in 2021 (1,770), he is a rare weapon that will bolster the team’s chances of reaching a second Super Bowl in four seasons.

Football Outsiders gives the 49ers (11-4) a 30% chance of leapfrogging the Vikings (12-3) for the NFC’s No. 2 seed. The 49ers have clinched at least the NFC’s No. 3 seed, though the second spot would put the team in position to play two postseason home games. A 49ers-Vikings tie would give San Francisco the 2 seed due to a superior conference record. The 49ers close the season with games against the Raiders and Cardinals; the Vikes travel to Green Bay and Chicago.

Additionally, Shanahan said Jimmy Garoppolo had his cast removed from his broken foot. Garoppolo is not on IR, but the 49ers do not expect him to return this season.

49ers Do Not Plan To Place Jimmy Garoppolo On IR

December 11th, 2022 at 10:52am CST by Sam Robinson

DECEMBER 11: Despite the team’s decision to keep Garoppolo on the 53-man roster, there is little chance he plays again this season, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms. Rapoport hears that Garoppolo may not be ready to return to game action until three months from the date he suffered the injury, a timeframe that would put the quarterback at full strength when free agency in March, but not quite in time to have an impact on the 49ers’ fortunes this season.

DECEMBER 9: 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 season. While Trey Lance will not return before the 49ers’ offseason program, the door slightly ajar to Jimmy Garoppolo to factor into this season again.

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, though Kyle Shanahan did his best to minimize this scenario’s likelihood. But 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 (via 49erswebzone.com). “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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