The 49ers, at least outwardly, look poised to keep quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for the 2022 season if they’re unable to find a trade partner. General manager John Lynch on Monday at the NFL owners meetings in Florida told reporters outright releasing Garoppolo and his sizable salary cap hit aren’t among the club’s options.
“I don’t foresee that,” Lynch said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’s too good a player. So, I don’t foresee that. I think Jimmy will be playing for us or he’ll be playing for someone else. He’s too good a player not to be.”
This is the right line of thinking to have for a GM aiming to maximize the value of an asset. If teams know the 49ers are content releasing Garoppolo they’ll be less willing to come to the table in trade talks.
