San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that he doesn’t see any way that Jimmy Garoppolo will be with the team next season.
Garoppolo is set to hit free agency and despite some conflicting reports regarding Brock Purdy’s torn UCL, Shanahan said that the team is confident in the rookie’s return next season. Purdy suffered his injury during the team’s NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
2021 third overall pick Trey Lance opened the 2022 campaign as the Niners starting quarterback, before going down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2. “Jimmy G” was reinserted as the starter after Lance’s injury before his own foot injury sidelined him from early in Week 13 onward.
The final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy went on a stunning run after taking over under center, helping San Francisco extend their winning streak to conclude the regular season to 10 games and earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Purdy collected a career-best 330 passing yards, as well as three passing touchdowns and four carries for 16 yards and an additional score on the ground during the team’s wild-card round win against the Seattle Seahawks.
The 23-year-old Purdy helped the 49ers past the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round before he suffered his elbow injury on the team’s first drive during the NFC title game. He eventually returned to the field in the second half (after fourth-string journeyman Josh Johnson went down with a concussion), but Philadelphia dominated in a 31-7 win.
Purdy finished his rookie year with a 7-1 record (including the playoffs) and 1,943 passing yards plus 16 passing touchdowns against only four interceptions. In 11 games (10 starts), Garoppolo posted 2,437 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Shanahan said Wednesday that their confidence in rolling with Lance and Purdy to start training camp doesn’t mean the organization won’t look into adding more competition.
