49ers Rumors: Jimmy Garoppolo on Schedule in Shoulder Injury Rehab amid Trade Buzz

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has remained a member of the San Francisco 49ers throughout the offseason to this point, and he is reportedly on track to recover from shoulder surgery.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Garoppolo "remains on schedule in his recovery" and is expected to throw by early July. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that plan is still in place as the 2022 campaign approaches.

That Garoppolo is still with the 49ers is notable considering he has been the subject of trade discussions dating back for months.

Earlier this month, Joseph Person of The Athletic tabbed the Carolina Panthers as a potential destination but pointed out "there are concerns within the Panthers organization about the health of Garoppolo's throwing shoulder after surgery in March."

Yet Fowler reported on ESPN's Get Up that Carolina is still a team to watch, and the recovery plan for the quarterback "should heat up his trade market."

The Panthers, who have also been connected to Baker Mayfield, have Sam Darnold under center. However, Darnold has been inconsistent throughout his career and is scheduled for free agency after the upcoming season.

From San Francisco's perspective, the writing seemed to be on the wall for Garoppolo as soon as it selected Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft. The veteran remained the primary quarterback last season and helped lead the team to the NFC Championship Game, but Lance is likely the signal-caller of the future.

There is also the question of contract, as Garoppolo has a $26.95 million cap hit that could translate to a $7.5 million injury guarantee and $1.4 million in dead cap if he is traded or released while healthy, per Spotrac.

If the team is going to turn the offense over to Lance, it would likely be beneficial from a roster construction standpoint to move on from Garoppolo.

First, he has to prove he is healthy as he continues his recovery process.