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Regardless of how season ends, 49ers still plan to swap Jimmy Garoppolo for Trey Lance

49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led his team to victory against the Packers

By Megan Turner OutKick
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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led his team to victory, but despite defeating the Green Bay Packers and playing through injury, it doesn’t seem likely his recent performance will change the fate of rookie Trey Lance taking his place on the depth chart.

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San Francisco 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo thorws with Green Bay Packers' Kenny Clark rushing during the second half of an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. 

San Francisco 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo thorws with Green Bay Packers' Kenny Clark rushing during the second half of an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis.  (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Garoppolo went into the game with a torn ligament in his right thumb and left the game with a slight sprain of his throwing shoulder, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says he doesn’t see a situation where Lance isn’t eventually the franchise guy.

"I hate to sound like a broken record, but I kind of see it to where it was," Rapoport said Monday of the 49ers’ quarterback situation on KNBR’sMurph & Macshow. "Unless I’m missing something, I haven’t seen anything that has changed where this is all going, which is with Trey Lance eventually being the franchise guy. Garoppolo is the starter now, and I would say not everything goes according to plan in life, in football, in everything, but this kind of has been the 49ers’ plan."

Rapoport said the plan was always to find Garoppolo’s successor, and they did in Lance. The goal was to let the rookie learn as Jimmy G led what they felt was a playoff-caliber roster, 49ers Webzone reports.

"Remember, they thought, before the season, they had a playoff-ready roster and that Garoppolo was the best person to get them to the playoffs," Rapoport continued. "That happened. He is the best person to be in the playoffs with them. This has happened. And then, after the season, I would imagine they take a hard long look at it and say, ‘Has Jimmy Garoppolo done anything to change our mind that Trey Lance is the future starter?"

San Francisco 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo celebrates after an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. The 49ers won 13-10 to advance to the NFC Championship game.

San Francisco 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo celebrates after an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. The 49ers won 13-10 to advance to the NFC Championship game. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

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"My guess is the answer is, ‘No,’ but it’s OK because everyone’s going to be fine. Garoppolo, assuming they go through with a trade, is going to end up great. He’s going to make some money. Trey Lance is going to be great. He’ll be the starter at some point. And then everybody will move forward, and that’s a pretty good transition if you ask me."

While nearly all has gone according to plan, 49ers Webzone reports there has been outside noise pressuring the organization to transition from the veteran to the exciting rookie sooner.