Jimmy Garoppolo Trade Rumors: 'Legitimate Concern' About 49ers QB's Shoulder Injury

Jimmy Garoppolo's offseason shoulder surgery could be a major roadblock to any plans the San Francisco 49ers had of trading the veteran quarterback.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that teams around the NFL have "legitimate concern about the shoulder surgery and what that might mean for his offseason and the 2022 campaign."

Dianna Russini of ESPN reported on Monday the Indianapolis Colts balked at a move for Garoppolo because of the implications stemming from the procedure:

The Colts set their sights instead on Matt Ryan, landing the veteran quarterback from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for 2022 third-round pick.

According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Niners general manager John Lynch left the impression with interested suitors that one team has already offered two second-round picks.

Considering the Atlanta Falcons were only able to get a third-round pick from the Colts in return for Ryan, many wondered how much Lynch was inflating the market for his quarterback.

ESPN's Nick Wagoner reported that Garoppolo's limited opportunity to practice with a new team was merely one of multiple reasons teams were lukewarm on the 30-year-old.

The shoulder injury spoke to preexisting concerns about his durability. He also carries a $24.2 million base salary, which is a significant sum to absorb. And Wagoner reported there's a belief outside of San Francisco that Garoppolo is "at his ceiling."

The absence of a trade speaks for itself to some extent, and the likelihood of a deal materializing grows slimmer by the day.

Indianapolis took itself out of the running with the Ryan trade. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Mitchell Trubisky. The Cleveland Browns landed Deshaun Watson. The New Orleans Saints are bringing Jameis Winston back. The Washington Commanders became the newest franchise to pin their hopes to Carson Wentz. The Denver Broncos acquired Russell Wilson.

Going down the list of teams that had the most glaring need for a quarterback entering the offseason, almost all of them have addressed the issue.

Should Garoppolo wind up staying in San Francisco, it could make for a tricky dynamic with Trey Lance since all signs pointed to Lance becoming the starter in his second season.