San Francisco 49ers

If any NFL teams are interested in acquiring Jimmy Garoppolo at this stage, they haven't reached out to San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.

"I believe that goes on with his agents, but none that I hear of," Shanahan said Tuesday in reference to any outside interest in Garoppolo.

He added he isn't aware of any trade offers that were put forward to general manager John Lynch.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport painted a similar picture when reporting on the situation last Sunday. Rapoport said there's "no clear trade partner" for Garoppolo and that the Niners "are willing to wait all the way to cut-down day" for one to emerge.

Shanahan confirmed what many expected already when he said in July the 49ers "have moved on" to second-year quarterback Trey Lance.

San Francisco seems to be making it abundantly clear the team doesn't view Garoppolo as the backup, either. The 30-year-old is fourth in the unofficial depth chart, something Shanahan said was merely a procedural move.

"[Garoppolo's] not in meetings. He's not doing all that stuff," he told reporters. "So he's just doing what I said he's been doing. I think if he's on the depth chart, it's because you have to be. I think all 90 guys on our roster do. We have 91, actually."

The 49ers lost a lot of leverage in trade negotiations after Garoppolo underwent surgery on his right shoulder. Teams would obviously want to hold off on a deal until he was medically cleared to compete.

Now, San Francisco isn't even bothering to pretend Jimmy G could be on the active roster when the 2022 season opens. The franchise clearly isn't going to carry his nearly $27 million salary cap hit, not when it can collect $25.6 million in cap savings by cutting him.

Barring an injury that forces a GM's hand, there's no reason to trade for Garoppolo when you can wait and sign him for much less than his current salary.

Trey Lance is set to take over as the starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers in 2022, and one of his teammates compared him to one of the NFL's best quarterbacks while meeting with the media Tuesday.

Niners wide receiver/returner Ray-Ray McCloud told reporters that Lance reminds him of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

The 49ers selected Lance third overall in the 2021 draft, but they still relied on Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback last season in order to let the North Dakota State product develop in preparation for the 2022 campaign.

The 22-year-old appeared in six games as a rookie last season, completing 57.7 percent of his passes for 603 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 168 yards and one score.

It's hard to compare Lance and Allen, though the latter didn't truly make his presence felt until the 2020 season when he finished second in MVP voting and fourth in Offensive Player of the Year voting.

So, if Lance doesn't live up to the hype in his first full season as a starter, it's probably best not to worry too much, especially if there's a possibility he could take a similar path to Allen.

The San Francisco 49ers believe Jimmy Garoppolo has some value on the trade market despite failing to find a deal so far this offseason, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

"My sense is the 49ers still think they can get something, even if it's just a late-round pick, for him while dictating his destination," Breer wrote.

Garoppolo has a $26.95 million cap hit for 2022, though the team can save $25.55 million by trading or releasing him, per Spotrac. His $24.2 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed on Monday of Week 1 (Sept. 12).

Despite the potential financial ramifications, Breer argued the 49ers don't want to release him because he could then be added by the division rival Seattle Seahawks.

There are still few logical trade partners for San Francisco at this point of the year, with most teams already settled at quarterback.

Offseason shoulder surgery cooled the trade market earlier in the offseason for Garoppolo, although he was cleared to practice without restrictions last week.

The 49ers have still moved on at the position with Trey Lance set to become the starting quarterback. Garoppolo, meanwhile, has simply been waiting to find out his new home.

"There’s no secret here of what the situation is," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. "I think he fully understands the situation. We fully understand the situation. So, we make the best of it."

"He's just trying to get his body ready for hopefully the next situation he goes into," Shanahan added.

The 49ers are hoping they can control the situation—keeping him away from division rivals while getting some assets in return—but the lack of suitors could limit the options going forward.

The trade market for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo appears to be minimal.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday there is "no clear trade partner" for the veteran signal-caller. He added the Niners aren't going to rush into a move right now and "are willing to wait all the way to cut-down day."

Earlier in the offseason, San Francisco was probably guilty of overplaying its hand.

ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio reported in March that general manager John Lynch was telling any potential suitors one team had already been prepared to offer two second-round picks in a trade. Lynch subsequently refuted that rumor.

Still, it seems reasonable to assume the 49ers would've already moved Garoppolo by now if simply getting rid of him was their primary motivation.

The Cleveland Browns were in a similar predicament with Baker Mayfield and finally agreed to receive a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick from the Carolina Panthers. They assumed a portion of his 2022 salary as well.

The Athletic's David Lombardi laid out why San Francisco doesn't necessarily have to settle for the best of whatever bad trade returns are feasibly on the table:

However, that could embolden rival GMs to call Lynch's bluff.

The Niners are handing the offense over to second-year quarterback Trey Lance, so how likely are they to keep a backup QB with a nearly $27 million cap hit for the upcoming season? By cutting or trading Jimmy G, San Francisco will absorb $1.4 million in dead money but save $25.6 million.

Perhaps another team will get desperate enough to send something of value to Lynch in return for Garoppolo.

But it's tough at this point to envision this ending in a scenario other than the 49ers simply cutting the 30-year-old or accepting a relative pittance in a trade.

Deebo Samuel is a Trey Lance believer.

The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver discussed the young quarterback with Tom Pelissero and Maurice Jones-Drew of NFL Network and said the improvement is noticeable as he gets more experience during training camp.

"He's getting better day by day," Samuel said. "It's his first year of really being the guy of the offense, so it's gonna take time."

San Francisco traded up to select Lance with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft, and he appeared in six games as a rookie with two starts. While he was inconsistent with a 57.7 percent completion mark, he had five touchdown passes to two interceptions and added 168 yards and a score on the ground.

Lance's ability to use his legs is one of the things that separates him from incumbent Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers have made it clear that they are looking toward the future and starting the second-year signal-caller.

As Samuel discussed, Lance's ability to live up to expectations could be the difference between a Super Bowl run and a disappointing campaign for San Francisco.

After all, he is surrounded by talent in Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and a strong rushing attack. There is also a formidable defense in place with players such as Nick Bosa and Fred Warner leading the way.

The team made the NFC Championship Game last season with Garoppolo under center as something of a game manager with 20 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions.

Lance can elevate the Niners' ceiling by being more of a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He'll need to continue working on his accuracy as he prepares for his first season as a starter, though.

To hear Samuel tell it, that improvement is happening on a daily basis.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday the team agreed to allow quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to work separately while awaiting a potential trade.

Garoppolo has been cleared for football activities after undergoing surgery in March, but the Niners decided to move forward with 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance as the new leader of their offense.

In turn, Shanahan explained the team's former starter didn't desire full involvement in the 49ers' preseason preparations, which is why he's been practicing off to the side.

"We made it the best for both," Shanahan told reporters. "I mean, if Jimmy wanted to be in every single meeting and wanted to do everything, for sure we would let him. I would guess that isn't what he would want, totally. And when we asked him, that was accurate—he didn't totally want that. So he's just trying to get his body ready for hopefully the next situation he goes into."

Garoppolo and the team's front office are in a difficult situation because the injury limited trade interest throughout the offseason, and now most opposing franchises have solidified their quarterback situations for 2022.

One exception is the Seattle Seahawks, who are hosting a training camp battle between Geno Smith and Drew Lock for the top spot on the depth chart.

In May, Hawks head coach Pete Carroll downplayed the idea of making a trade, though.

"I don't see us making a trade for anybody at all," Carroll said. "I don't see that happening. But we're certainly going to continue to be open to chances to help our club, and meanwhile we're just going to be battling and competing our tails off."

It's unclear whether that stance could have changed over the past few months.

Meanwhile, Shanahan said Friday the 49ers maintain a "real good relationship" with Garoppolo.

"There's no secret here of what the situation is," he said. "I think he fully understands the situation. We fully understand the situation. So, we make the best of it. Jimmy's out there. He's feeling better and better each day."

The question becomes whether the 30-year-old Eastern Illinois product will be ready to handle a backup role to open the new season if no trade is found since he's not taking part in the full allotment of practices and meetings.

That uncertainty combined with his contract situation could force the Niners to make a tough decision before roster cuts.

Garoppolo is set to enter the final season of a five-year, $137.5 million contract, which includes a $26.95 million salary-cap hit for 2022.

The 49ers would receive $25.55 million in cap savings if he's released, according to Spotrac. But the salary becomes fully guaranteed if he makes the initial 53-man roster, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner, which must be finalized by Aug. 30.

So, while San Francisco has long maintained it won't release Garoppolo, it could be a few weeks away from that being the most viable option.

The Niners have an NFL-low $692,000 in cap space, and they're going to need money for signings when injuries inevitably arise throughout the season.

Ultimately, all signs point to Garoppolo having played his last game with the 49ers, but how that tenure will end remains a mystery.

Jimmy Garoppolo has been fully cleared for football activities—just don't expect him to step on the field with his San Francisco 49ers teammates.

49ers general manager John Lynch said Garoppolo has "no restrictions" but will continue to work out on the side as the team tries to find a trade partner for the backup quarterback.

“We’ve just made the decision that it’s in his best interest to be off to the side and that was made mutually,” Lynch told reporters. “It was made with Dr. [Neil] ElAttrache, but he has no restrictions and I’m watching him throw out here right now. He looks pretty good.”

Lynch has been exploring trades for several months but found a tepid market amid concerns about Garoppolo's throwing shoulder. The team recently gave Garoppolo's representation permission to seek a trade on their own, a move that could expedite the negotiations process.

That said, the number of teams in need of a quarterback has evaporated. The Seattle Seahawks are the team most in glaring need of a starter but seem satisfied to move forward with Geno Smith and Drew Lock rather than make a deal with a division rival. The Cleveland Browns are seemingly set on Jacoby Brissett opening as their Week 1 starter with Deshaun Watson suspended.

The 49ers may need to wait until there's an injury or player underperforming in camp for a legitimate market to form. If we get deeper into August and Garoppolo's still on the roster, the team may wind up having to consider outright releasing him. Garoppolo has said all the right things publicly, but there would be a natural tension to give the job back to the veteran if Trey Lance scuffles out of the gate.

Trading or releasing Garoppolo would eliminate any potential for Lance to be looking over his shoulder.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who just inked a three-year extension worth up to $73.5 million, denied reports that his previous trade request was due to displeasure over the team using him as both a wideout and running back (wide back).

"That’s false," Samuel told reporters Tuesday.

"There's a lot of things that came out that I want to speak on, but at the end of the day, I wasn't allowed to. I mean, you can turn on the tape, go back to the Cowboys game. It kind of shows what kind of player I am. And also, I mean, you can go turn on the Pro Bowl tape and like, what I said about being a wide back, I don’t mind doing whatever it takes for this team to win."

Last April, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Samuel was not "comfortable ... with the way he is being used."

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network also reported on the Rich Eisen Show that Samuel was unhappy with his role.

"It sounds like there's multiple layers to this. ... But certainly one of them is Deebo Samuel wants to be a receiver and not a receiver/running back. His rushing attempts were significantly up last season from where they've been in the past. We all know that he's a really, really physical player, but there probably are some concerns here about longevity. The counterpoint to that, of course, is that part of the reason that Deebo Samuel is so valuable is because he's versatile. ... But in the big picture, it sounds like the role is part of the reason that Deebo wants to play someplace else, where he may just be able to be a true wide receiver and potentially tack on some years to his career."

Samuel had previously denied a rumor from ESPN's Adam Schefter that he wanted to be closer to South Carolina, where he was born, raised and went to college (USC).

Rapoport previously reported that money was not at the root of Samuel's trade request.

It's unclear what exactly led to the request, but Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin revealed on 95.7 The Game's Damon & Ratto it was legitimate and that Samuel told him the reason, which he would not divulge (h/t Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area).

"This is not a game. He really wanted to be moved. I had conversations with him, and I knew the [details] on why that came about. He shared that with me, and I won't violate and share that. But when he did share it, I felt it when he explained it to me. I felt it. So he wanted to be moved."

Regardless of why Samuel wanted out, it's a moot point now with the superstar now under contract through 2025.

Last season, Samuel earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors after amassing 1,770 yards and 14 touchdowns. He caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and rushed 59 times for 365 yards.

Samuel was the de facto No. 2 running back for the 49ers throughout the playoffs, to the point where he even had more carries (27) than catches (10). In three games, the three-year NFL veteran had 291 total yards and two scores.