Jimmy Garoppolo may be on track to return before training camp. John Lynch said Garoppolo’s progress in his return from a torn ACL could have him back for organized team activities according to Ian Rapoport on NFL Network.
Rapoport had Lynch on his podcast and said the outlook on Garoppolo is extremely positive.
“Certainly good news for the 49ers. They do expect Garoppolo to be on the field for the start of OTAs,” Rapoport said. “That is a big-time benchmark. If he’s not ready, it doesn’t negatively affect the season.”
It would be a significant lift for the 49ers to have Garoppolo as early as OTAs. He may be limited during those workouts, but they haven’t had their franchise quarterback on the field at all since Week 3 of the 2018 season.
Initially it looked like the 49ers might have Garoppolo back in time for training camp. A couple weeks ago at the Senior Bowl, Lynch told Sirius XM NFL radio that Garoppolo was at the team facility and back to throwing.
That in itself looked like a positive step toward having him for the start of the regular season. Having him as early as May allows him more time to re-establish chemistry with his receivers and to get back into the flow of the offense.
Garoppolo spent a ton of time off the field learning the nuances of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s scheme. Getting back into playing in a setting like OTAs should allow him to fine-tune some of the things he picked up during his time as an observer. It also gives him a better chance to hit the ground running in training camp.
It sounds like running back Jerick McKinnon, who tore his ACL the Saturday before the first week of the regular season began, is on track to return on a similar timeline. The skill set and range of motion a running back needs is much different than that of a quarterback, so it won’t likely mirror Garoppolo’s timeline. However, Rapoport said the two are competing with each other in their rehab to see who can get fully healthy the fastest.
That’s certainly good news for a 49ers team that struggled badly a season ago. Getting Garoppolo and McKinnon back before the start of training camp only increases their odds of having success once they’re back on the field.
