For a while now, it's been pretty evident that second-year quarterback Trey Lance will be the Week 1 starter for the San Francisco 49ers. All offseason, the team has been looking to trade former starter Jimmy Garoppolo and fully transition to last year's No. 3 overall pick. Garoppolo's March 8 shoulder surgery has kept him on the 49ers roster, but that doesn't mean the team's intentions have changed.

While the local media and most fans are clear on the mindset inside the 49ers' Santa Clara offices, the national media continues to question the quarterback situation, with some even wondering if Garoppolo might somehow be able to hold onto the starting job.

The 49ers are growing tired of being asked about the quarterback situation and the plans for Lance and Garoppolo. ESPN's Dianna Russini recently inquired with a team source, asking, "What's up with your quarterback position?"

The response is telling.


"This source wrote back, 'What else do I need to say to you to make it clear that Trey Lance is our quarterback?'" Russini said on ESPN's Get Up. "I was sensing a little bit of frustration with me with all my questioning."

That makes sense. Every offseason sign has suggested that the 49ers intend to complete their move from Garoppolo to Lance. While some questioned Lance's readiness, 49ers players and coaches have consistently expressed confidence in the 22-year-old quarterback's ability to take the reins.

"But I think the point, though, he (the source) said, 'They are moving on,'" Russini continued. "They want to trade Jimmy Garoppolo. ... His agent has been doing work behind the scenes for weeks."

Working out a trade might not be simple. Russini adds that there is still Garoppolo's hefty $24.2 million base salary in 2022 with which to deal. The 49ers, of course, would love to clear that money.

"They need to pay Nick Bosa," Russini said. "They need to pay Deebo Samuel. And probably the biggest part of this, the element that probably matters the most is Trey Lance needs to develop. He does not need a quarterback like Jimmy G, who is beloved in San Francisco and loved by his teammates and has won, sitting on his shoulder here.


"... From the conversations I've had around the league, it seems that once a team becomes desperate enough—an injury, a quarterback isn't performing—that's when Jimmy will probably get moved."


H/t to Brian Renick for the find.
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