49ers Rumors: SF 'Pretty Much Set on' Trey Lance Starting in 2022 amid Garoppolo Buzz

The San Francisco 49ers didn't trade Jimmy Garoppolo during the 2022 NFL draft, but they still plan on exploring their options for the quarterback this offseason.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN said the team is "pretty much set" on Trey Lance serving as the starter next season:

"Where the 49ers don't want to trade Deebo Samuel, they definitely have interest in trading Jimmy Garoppolo, who's got $26 million on the books and they believe he's a good quarterback who should have suitors. The problem remains that he's got that shoulder issue that he had surgery on. He won't be able to throw until the summer, so there was never going to be any urgency around Garoppolo during draft time. But the Panthers, they drafted Matt Corral in the third round, they could always circle back here with Garoppolo closer to the summer, see if the price tag is right. But the 49ers are pretty much set on moving forward with Trey Lance as their starting quarterback next year."

Garoppolo underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder earlier this offseason and does not currently have a timetable for his return. It's likely any team that trades for him will want him medically cleared by its own doctors before making a deal.

That Lance will be taking over in 2022 is no surprise. It's essentially been the plan since the 49ers selected him with the No. 3 pick in last year's draft: start Garoppolo while Lance develops slowly, hope his value rises for an offseason trade and then the job goes to the youngster.

While Garoppolo mostly did his part, helping lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game, he's still a below-average NFL starter in a world where multiple above-average starters were on the move. The 49ers and Cleveland Browns are essentially stuck with expensive backups for next season unless they're willing to eat salary as part of a trade or take a relative pittance in return.

The Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers are the two teams most obviously in need of a veteran quarterback. Carolina feels like the likelier destination for Garoppolo, given it's unlikely the 49ers want to trade him to a team in the NFC West. 

The situation between Baker Mayfield and the Browns is far more tenuous than the one with Garoppolo and the 49ers, so Seattle and Carolina may prefer Mayfield as a more distressed asset. It's even possible Cleveland winds up releasing Mayfield later this summer to avoid locker-room tension.

With Garoppolo well liked within the 49ers organization, it's still possible he simply winds up as the NFL's highest-paid backup in 2022.