49ers News: Jimmy Garoppolo 'Ahead of Schedule' in Recovery from Knee Injury

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery from a torn ACL in his left knee.

Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee provided comments Shanahan made about the situation at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

"We don't talk about football. But I see him out my (office) window every day. He does drops every day," Shanahan said. "He's been doing a good job, but everyone says they're ahead of schedule. He is. I mean, he's been healing great and he hasn't had knee trouble before."

Garoppolo, who suffered the knee injury in a Sept. 23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, still isn't expected to participate in 11-on-11 practices until training camp, per Biderman.

"[We will] probably make a smart decision to go seven-on-seven so we wouldn't have to worry about it," Shanahan said about the quarterback's potential role at June's OTAs. "I don't have an exact timeline, but that's how I feel."

The 27-year-old Eastern Illinois product completed 59.6 percent of his throws for 718 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions across three appearances in 2018.

San Francisco acquired him in an October 2017 trade with the New England Patriots. He guided the Niners to five straight wins at the end of the 2017 campaign to raise expectations for last season. The team posted a 4-12 record after losing their starting QB in the first month.

Garoppolo is facing an important bounce-back opportunity in 2019.

While he's got four seasons left on his five-year, $137.5 million contract, the Niners have a potential out before the 2020 campaign. They can save $25.2 million in cap space if he's designated as a post-June 1 release next year, leaving just $1.4 million in dead cap for 2020, per Spotrac.

San Francisco would much prefer Garoppolo emerge as a franchise quarterback next fall, but the front office could be forced into a tough decision if he struggles in his return from the major injury.