The San Francisco 49ers initially suggested Jimmy Garoppolo was still in line to be their starting quarterback in 2021 even after trading up for the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
However, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan hinted Monday that Garoppolo's place on San Francisco's roster is no longer safe.
Shanahan first stated the 49ers made the move up the board so as to have the opportunity to select a new starting quarterback:
“We could have sat there at 12, and waited which one came to us, if one did,” Shanahan said, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. “But we made a decision that we felt we needed to get a starting QB. We wanted to dictate it. We'll get the one that we feel is best for us.”
Shanahan then elaborated on the team's evaluation process with regards to the top quarterback prospects, saying he felt good about taking any of five players third overall. He also said each quarterback prospect has “gotten better” during the evaluation process.
But the real dagger, for Garoppolo, came when Shanahan was asked whether Jimmy G would be on the 49ers roster come Sunday:
“I can’t guarantee that anybody in the world will be alive Sunday,” Shanahan said, via NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Granted, this could just as easily be Shanahan's attempt at deadpan humor. Niners general manager John Lynch said Garoppolo has been a “pro” throughout the pre-draft process, per Pelissero.
Still, things do not appear to be trending in the best direction for Garoppolo. Perhaps he finds himself the subject of added trade speculation in the coming days.
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