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The 49ers aren’t just keeping quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in bubble wrap by not letting him practice. They basically excommunicated him from the rest of the team without cutting him.
Coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters about Garoppolo’s day-to-day status on Wednesday.
“He was there this morning doing his throwing routine,” Shanahan said. “I don’t think he’s still here so he came in and did that and he got out so I’ll keep in touch with Jimmy. We keep doing that and take it one day at a time.”
Basically, Garoppolo can come and go as he pleases.
“We’re saying go ahead, you don’t have to be here,” Shanahan said. “Anything he wants to achieve, he can do. I think Jimmy like I said yesterday Jimmy [G.M.] John [Lynch], and I talked for a while. We understand every part of this situation and I think both sides know that each side is doing the best we can.
Shanahan was asked if there is a scenario where Garoppolo could be on the list if he is not traded by then.
“I’m giving absolutely nothing, so yeah, I’m sure I could make that scenario up, but I think I said earlier that that would surprise me, and I still feel that way,” Shanahan said.
Honestly, while the 49ers wait for a quarterback elsewhere to pick up a season-ending injury, Trey Lance could. And that would be a scenario that would keep Garoppolo on the roster for the season.
The approach requires Garoppolo to play along, and apparently he does. You can’t keep him off the team. I guess you can’t keep him off the practice field. But he would have to be willing to push the issue forward.
At the moment he doesn’t seem to be. Without Garoppolo pressuring the 49ers to make a move, however, they will more likely delay doing so until after preseason is over, trimming Garoppolo just before the season starts and making it difficult for him to find a new home in 2022.