The 49ers and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo are one step closer to a split.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday reported Garoppolo and his agent Don Yee were given permission by the 49ers to seek a trade after Garoppolo was cleared to start practicing.
This doesn’t come as a huge surprise since the 49ers were also willing to let teams discuss terms of a new deal with Garoppolo according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
There may not be much of a trade market as of Wednesday, but Garoppolo’s $25 million price tag is something teams will likely want to negotiate down before giving up compensation for the 30-year-old signal caller. Allowing him to seek a trade gives him and Yee the opportunity to find out what the market looks like and how much of that $25 million the QB may be able to hang on to.
It’s also noteworthy that Garoppolo was cleared to practice, although he may not be fully cleared to play until the middle of August as NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday. Teams will need to see how Garoppolo’s shoulder responds to a full practice workload and contact before clearing him fully.
San Francisco doesn’t have to rush trading Garoppolo so this may drag out into training camp as he and the club wait for a trade market to develop. Injuries or a team being dissatisfied with their QB situation could quickly make Garoppolo, a starting-caliber QB, a hot commodity.
Schefter also noted the 49ers would exercise caution with Garoppolo this summer, indicating they won’t force him to practice with them or participate in camp. He’s been rehabbing his shoulder in Southern California and hasn’t been at the team facility at all during the offseason.
It appears now that Garoppolo staying in Santa Clara for next year is effectively off the table. Now it comes down to whether the QB is traded or released.