According to Ian Rapoport, 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan has maintained that veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo will return as San Francisco’s starter when he’s recovered from his calf injury.
Though first-round QB Trey Lance is making his first career start for the 49ers against the Cardinals today, Rapoport says Shanahan has decided Garoppolo will return regardless of what the rookie does.
After some initial fears about the severity of his injury, Garoppolo is now expected back as potentially soon as Week 6.
In fact, sources say he has about a 70 percent chance of healing up in time to start next week against the Colts, per Jason La Canfora.
Garoppolo, 29, is a former second-round pick of the Patriots back in 2014. The Patriots traded him to the 49ers in 2017 at the trade deadline in return for a 2018 second-round pick.
Garoppolo was in line to be an unrestricted free agent when the 49ers signed him to a five-year, $137.5 million contract during the 2018 offseason.
In 2021, Garoppolo had appeared in four games for the 49ers and completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 925 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions to go along with 26 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Lance, 21, was a one-year starter at North Dakota State. He was a unanimous All-American sophomore, but was limited to appearing in just one game last year due to NDSU’s schedule.
The 49ers traded up in round one to select Lance with the No. 3 overall pick.
Lance signed a four-year, $34,105,276 contract with the 49ers that includes a $22,163,837 signing bonus. The 49ers will have a fifth-year option to pick up on him in 2024.
In 2021, Lance has appeared in three games for the 49ers and completed 52.9 percent of his passes for 162 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He has also rushed for 44 yards and a touchdown.
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