The 49ers’ unofficial depth chart was released Tuesday. It’s considered unofficial because the team’s communications staff compiles it. There’s some information to be gleaned from it and some interesting hypotheticals that arise, but the 49ers have the unique Jimmy Garoppolo situation which added a wrinkle of intrigue to that unofficial chart.
Garoppolo is included in the group of quarterbacks, but the club has him listed last behind Trey Lance, Nate Sudfeld and rookie seventh-round pick Brock Purdy. Head coach Kyle Shanahan, who said he spends zero time on the unofficial depth chart, offered a succinct explanation for Garoppolo’s inclusion.
“I think he’s on the depth chart because you have to be,” Shanahan said. “I think all 90 on our guys do. We have 91 actually.”
The veteran QB’s time in the Bay Area has pretty clearly been over since the end of last season. Now he’s technically on the roster about halfway through training camp, but he’s not in meetings, watching film or anything that would make him a contributing member of the team.
A perfect storm of injury, team needs, and contract status has created this very unique situation in Santa Clara. Seeing Garoppolo’s name on a depth chart behind three other players is a good illustration of just how strange things are under center for the 49ers.
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