While John Lynch is happy to have Jimmy Garoppolo back on the roster for the 2022 NFL season, he opened up about when that option started to become a real possibility.
When the NFL Draft Combine convenes in Indianapolis at the beginning of March, it is the perfect environment for conversations between front office personnel to discuss business and prospective trades.
Sometimes those conversations are more important than what is happening on the field with the NFL prospects invited to participate in the event at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Lynch revealed Thursday that one of the topics of conversation while in Indianapolis prior to the 2022 NFL Draft was the potential trade of Garoppolo.
“That’s always an interesting question because it’s not like someone emails you, ‘Here’s our offer,' " Lynch said. "It’s discussions. What I can tell you, with great confidence, is Combine time there were really serious talks with two or three teams that I feel like, you’d have to ask them, like this was going to happen.”
Of course the rest of the story is now history. Garoppolo had shoulder surgery on March 8 and the carousel of quarterbacks continued to spin until the music stopped with the veteran quarterback still firmly on the 49ers roster.
“We talked a lot the other day as to why we arrived at where we’re at,” Lynch said. “But I’m glad that we’ve arrived where we’re at.”
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Coach Kyle Shanahan shared the same belief as Lynch, acknowledging that the 49ers roster improved after finalizing an agreement for Garoppolo to take a pay cut in order to make staying feasible for both parties.
Shanahan was adamant that Trey Lance is the club’s starting quarterback of the 49ers this season.
“This doesn’t change anything,” Shanahan said via conference call on Tuesday. “I just feel it makes us a much better team and doesn’t hurt our cap, like it would’ve.”
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While Lynch is please that it all worked out in the end, he was flummoxed how trade talks quickly went south after Garoppolo had surgery in March. Knowing that Garoppolo is an established commodity having taken the 49ers to a Super Bowl and an NFC Championship Game, Lynch was surprised the market for the veteran quarterback wasn't more robust.
“That’s why we were a little at a loss,” Lynch said. “You can talk to his doctor, you can talk to our doctor, you can talk to a lot of people and he was doing well but we’re happy that they didn’t. We’re happy that he’s here.”