INDIANAPOLIS -- It's no secret that the 49ers are looking for a trade partner for their veteran quarterback, but a recent report is assumed to have muddied Jimmy Garoppolo's trade value. Earlier this week, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the quarterback is set to undergo a procedure on his injured shoulder, which will likely keep him off the field for 16 weeks – well into the offseason program.
Garoppolo initially suffered a torn ligament in his right throwing thumb in the first half of the Week 16 loss against the Tennessee Titans, an injury that heavily marred the quarterback throughout the rest of the regular and postseason. During the team's Wild Card Round win against the Dallas Cowboys, in an attempt to avoid landing on his thumb, the quarterback fell onto his shoulder, which nagged him throughout the remainder of the postseason.
Per general manager John Lynch, Garoppolo attempted rehab the past several weeks, however, the decision was made that the best route in his recovery would be to undergo a procedure that will likely keep him from throwing until late June, early July, per Lynch – the entirety of the offseason program, set to begin this spring.
There are several teams who are in the market for a veteran quarterback, and according to the general manager, the 49ers have begun discussions and are likely to continue those talks. Nonetheless, the 49ers anticipate Garoppolo's injury to not play a major factor in his ability to be available to contribute for wherever the quarterback may land this offseason, even if that destination remains in San Francisco.
"Any time you have surgery, it's not a minor deal," Lynch said at the NFL Scouting Combine. "Any time it's the throwing shoulder, I understand the significance, but it is described as a minor surgery. But Jimmy is going to be fine. As far as the trade, Jimmy is a part of us right now. A lot of people need or want quarterbacks right now and he's obviously a guy they'd look at. So, yes, we have listened. But he's a part of us. And he's going to work diligently to get back from this surgery."
