The San Francisco 49ers hoped to trade Jimmy Garoppolo in March. Instead, team decision-makers were caught off guard when the quarterback opted to undergo shoulder surgery, halting all trade discussions. No one was going to trade for a quarterback who could not throw.
Four months later, the trade options have dwindled after several teams filled their quarterback needs. The good news is that Garoppolo has started to throw.
"According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Garoppolo resumed throwing two to three weeks ago," Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports. "His March surgery was performed by Los Angeles orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who has a strong track record with the 49ers."
Barrows added, "ElAttrache has been working in conjunction with the 49ers while Garoppolo has been rehabilitating in the Los Angeles area. He's expected to make a full recovery."
This isn't the first report that Garoppolo has resumed throwing. Last week, former NFL defensive tackle Dan Sileo reported the same thing.
"He started throwing two weeks ago—intermediate stuff with trainers and such," Sileo said.
Of course, Sileo also reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were looking into trading for Garoppolo, a report that the player's agent quickly refuted.
The well-respected Barrows confirming the report of Garoppolo throwing gives it more credibility. It's good news for the 49ers, who hope to resume trade discussions and get a deal done soon. NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reports that league sources expect Garoppolo to be traded by the end of the month.
Team execs are just starting to come back from vacation. Most training camps open in two weeks, and the expectation within the league continues to be that Garoppolo is traded — somewhere — by the end of the month.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 11, 2022