In the chaotic world of the NFL, there is a possibility that the San Francisco 49ers’ upcoming NFC wild-card clash with the Dallas Cowboys could be quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s final game with the team.

The 49ers showed their cards in the offseason when they elected to go all out to move up in the 2021 NFL Draft to select former North Dakota State star Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick. While the 49ers presumably view Lance as the future of the franchise, Garoppolo has remained as the team’s starting quarterback this season.

Garoppolo earned a start in 15 regular season games with the 49ers. Despite the multiple nagging injuries that he has suffered over the campaign, he managed to record 20 passing touchdowns while only missing two games due to injury.

In speaking during a press conference ahead of the 49ers’ playoff matchup against the Cowboys, Garoppolo admitted that his future with the team has been on his mind plenty of times over the season.

“It’s always in the back of your mind,” Garoppolo said. “It has been in mine, you know, really this whole season. Just I knew what type of season it was, knew everything that was going on behind the scenes and whatnot. So it was a little different.

“But, at the same time, it’s like you’re saying you’ve got to tow that line because you don’t want to get too emotional in those moments. And you’ve just got to go play football when it comes down to it, but, the human side definitely comes into play. You feel it for a little bit after the game. And I think 24 hours after that, you’ve got to move on quickly and we’ve done that pretty well.”

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport recently noted that barring a run to the Super Bowl, the 49ers plan to trade Garoppolo in the offseason in order to open the door for Lance to become the team’s starting quarterback.

If the 49ers are set on parting ways with Garoppolo in the coming months, then this upcoming test against the Cowboys could possibly be his final audition to any teams interested in trading for him in the offseason.