Garoppolo could return to the football field with the 49ers if the team makes a deep enough playoff run. Although, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have admitted that is not something the 49ers are optimistic about. Still, the door has not been shut on the possibility, which explains why the veteran quarterback hasn't landed on the injured reserve list.
On Thursday, Lynch provided an update on Garoppolo during his interview on KNBR.
"That's a hard one to monitor, Marcus (Thompson of KNBR)," Lynch said. "But I can tell you he's out of his cast now, in more of a boot, but still not walking on that. I think they wanted a good opportunity for healing early on, but he did get the hard cast off. So that's the progress, but it's not something that you can check on each and every day because the first part was just letting this thing heal."
On Saturday morning, hours ahead of the 49ers' Week 16 contest against the Washington Commanders, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer repeated the news that Garoppolo was out of the cast and in a walking boot. However, he added a few more tidbits.
"He'll have [the walking boot] taken off after next weekend's game [against the Las Vegas Raiders]," Glazer said on-air. "The team is holding out hope that there's a possibility—even though [QB Brock] Purdy is playing great—that Garoppolo will be able to play in the postseason. But they'll know more when they get that walking boot taken off after next week's game."
The real question is what role Garoppolo will play if he can return. Will he return as the starter after not taking a snap since December 4? Or will he serve as an emergency backup to rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who has played well for the 49ers thus far?
Brock Purdy proved toughness vs. Seahawks
We already knew that Purdy played through oblique and rib injuries against the Seattle Seahawks, his third game of extended action and second career start. However, Glazer added some more details regarding the severity of the injury.
"What people don't know is that last game they played a couple of Thursdays ago in Seattle, he actually had a strained oblique," Glazer reported, "and had some tears in the muscle fiber, and also an injury to his ribs, as well. An hour-and-a-half before the game, he couldn't throw more than 10 yards.
"He took a pain-killing injection, and the team said, 'Oh my gosh.' What they thought about him just went through the ceiling that day."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Report: Nick Sorensen will not return as 49ers' defensive coordinator
Just one year after parting ways with defensive coordinator Steve Wilks following a Super Bowl appearance, the San Francisco 49ers are set to dismiss Wilks' successor, Nick Sorensen, from his role as defensive coordinator. The move comes on the heels of a disappointing six-win... -
49ers plan to release Javon Hargrave, keep Deebo Samuel; Trent Williams 'committed' to return
During the San Francisco 49ers' end-of-season press conference, general manager John Lynch confirmed that Javon Hargrave's time with the team will likely end. The 49ers plan to release the defensive tackle with a post-June 1 designation to ease the impact on the salary... -
Will Brock Purdy hold out if negotiations stall? The 49ers QB weighs in
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy recently expressed his desire to finalize a contract extension quickly to avoid offseason distractions. However, all of that is in the hands of his agent and the 49ers, with previous standoffs a reminder of how these talks can stretch... -
49ers vs. Cardinals final injury report: Deebo, Lenoir among 5 ruled out for Sunday
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 18 contest against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Both teams have released their official injury reports, which are provided below. San Francisco 49ers Out DE Robert Beal...