49ers HC Shanahan: Surgery Delayed Jimmy Garoppolo Trade Talks; Can See QB on Roster

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday trade talks involving quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo have been delayed as he recovers from shoulder surgery in early March.

Shanahan confirmed the Niners looked at potential Garoppolo deals with an eye toward moving Trey Lance into the starting role, but he wouldn't confirm who would start if both signal-callers remain on the roster to open the 2022 NFL season.

"That's a funny question. We'll probably never announce a starter," he told reporters.

Garoppolo is coming off a solid year leading the San Francisco offense. He completed 68.3 percent of his throws for 3,810 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games. He added a career-high three rushing scores.

The 30-year-old Eastern Illinois product also guided the 49ers to playoff wins over the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers before they fell short against the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game.

He was expected to generate interest on the trade market, but the shoulder injury has seemingly delayed the process, and the Niners front office has lost some leverage because several quarterback-needy teams have filled their void at the position.

The Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks are the two teams that still have a glaring QB need, but their level of interest in Garoppolo is unclear.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk reported last week the 49ers received an offer of two second-round draft picks for Jimmy G, but the team that made the proposal wasn't named.

Meanwhile, the Niners invested the third pick in last year's draft on Lance and would likely prefer him becoming the unquestioned starter while still early in his team-friendly rookie contract. If Garoppolo is still on the roster, the situation becomes more complicated.

Lance showed his dual-threat playmaking potential across his six appearances (two starts) as a rookie. He rushed for 89 yards in his first start, a 17-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and threw two touchdowns in a 23-7 win over the Houston Texans in Week 17.

Giving him all the first-team snaps throughout training camp and the preseason is the best way to prepare him for the full-time starting job. If Garoppolo remains, those tasks will likely be split instead.

So, while the Niners are signaling a willingness to keep the veteran, it's probably just a way to maintain some leverage in trade talks. Moving him before the start of camp should still be the goal.