49er fans haven’t seen or heard much from Jimmy Garoppolo since his March shoulder surgery.
But after being excused from the team’s mandatory minicamp earlier this month, a report on Saturday indicated that he’s still on track in his recovery — and may start throwing again soon.
Garoppolo’s rehab is still on schedule and he’s expected to begin throwing “over the next few weeks after he’s been cleared,” according to an ESPN report.
Training camp begins in just over a month from now on July 26, meaning Garoppolo might be throwing before the start of training camp.
Garoppolo will still need to pass a physical before he could be traded — something the 49ers have expected to do for months and head coach Kyle Shanahan reaffirmed on May 24. But if Garoppolo is healthy, he may be able to use training camp and part of the preseason to show it in red and gold before he is dealt.
The 49ers can save $24.2 million in cap space by trading or cutting Garoppolo before the start of the regular season, an amount of money that could be used to entice Deebo Samuel to sign a long-term deal — or for other things. The team’s clear preference is to trade Garoppolo, though — which he likely would prefer, too, in order to make his full salary.
If Garoppolo continues to steadily progress with his rehab and can be throwing by the start of training camp, that would be best for all parties involved.
