49ers notebook: Lynch backs Garoppolo; Samuel ruled out for Saints game
While the 49ers’ roster continues to get drilled with injuries every week, a focus for the remainder of the 2020 regular season has been the future of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garoppolo, of course, has no more guaranteed money on his five-year contract he signed in 2018, potentially allowing San Francisco to move on without significant financial penalty if the team decides to go another direction. And while Garoppolo has been out with a high ankle sprain since Nov. 1, from which he’s not expected to return from until December, he remains a polarizing figure.
Fans and pundits seem split on Garoppolo’s viability as a championship-level quarterback, which led to 49ers general manager John Lynch on Friday bringing up Garoppolo during a radio interview on KNBR in San Francisco.
Lynch offered an endorsement of Garoppolo without signaling he’ll be the starting quarterback in 2021.
“I think the elephant in the room, everybody wants to know about Jimmy. Here’s what I know about Jimmy Garoppolo, and I think I’ve been consistent, we’re a better football team when he’s out there,” Lynch said.
Lynch pointed to San Francisco’s 24-9 record, including the playoffs, with Garoppolo under center and and the 5-22 record since the start of 2017 without him. Garoppolo isn’t solely responsible, of course. The 49ers went 15-4 in 2019 with Garoppolo playing opposite arguably the league’s top defense and had the No. 2-ranked rushing attack.
Garoppolo’s numbers this season have been down across the board while the 49ers are 3-3 with in his starts and 1-2 without him ahead of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
“People can try to pick his game apart,” Lynch continued, “and I do believe a lot of this year, Jimmy hasn’t probably played up to his standard. I think a lot of that, he’s been somewhat compromised with his health since he had that high ankle in the New York Jets game.”
Lynch’s comments came with an obvious caveat: The team is scouting all the quarterbacks in the coming draft while neither he nor head coach Kyle Shanahan has made a definitive statement about Garoppolo for next season.
Lynch acknowledged the team’s vice president of player personnel, Adam Peters, recently attended a game between Boise State and BYU featuring BYU’s star signal caller, Zach Wilson, who’s expected to be a first-round pick that many fans have become enamored with.
“We’re doing our jobs. You prepare for everything. ... We’re always going to be thorough,” Lynch said. “We’re always going to work our tail off to scout all the players and be prepared for anything. That’s kind of where we’re at there.”
There are still seven games to play and a lot of changing variables that will be factored into San Francisco’s decision surrounding Garoppolo next spring. But it’s clear Lynch is keeping all options open, including replacing Garoppolo with a first-round draft pick or bringing him back and hoping he, and his teammates, will be healthier and more productive in 2021.
Deebo Samuel ruled out for Saints game, Bourne’s return expected
The 49ers’ receiving corps has been a revolving door of available bodies throughout the season and that will continue Sunday in New Orleans.
Top wideout Deebo Samuel on Friday was ruled out of his third straight game with a hamstring injury. He hasn’t played since beating New England Oct. 25. The expectation is Samuel will have a better chance at returning following the upcoming bye to play the Los Angeles Rams Nov. 29, giving him nearly a full month of recovery time.
Kendrick Bourne, meanwhile, was activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday and participated in the light practice session in the afternoon. He’ll travel with the team to New Orleans and is expected to be available, though Friday was his first time at team headquarters since he was added to the reserve/COVID-19 list last week before the Thursday night loss to the Packers. Bourne had been quarantined at home since then.
“I’m sure he’s been doing some things on his own, hopefully,” Shanahan said Friday. “But any time you’re not here for 10 days and you miss two weeks of practice, it is an issue. But we’re down some receivers, so he’s going to be up regardless, but we got to be smart with him.”
Additionally, Trent Taylor (back) and River Cracraft (quadriceps contusion) are listed as questionable, though both practiced on Friday. Taylor sat out Wednesday’s practice with back stiffness and returned for the last two sessions of the week. Cracraft was kneed in the thigh on Wednesday, Lynch said, causing him to miss Thursday’s session.
If both players are available, the depth chart at receiver will be composed of Brandon Aiyuk, Bourne, Richie James, Taylor and Cracraft. If Taylor or Cracraft can’t play, the 49ers might promote Kevin White from the practice squad. White has appeared in three games this season but has been used primarily on special teams and hasn’t been targeted on offense.
Sherman’s return will wait
Shanahan said star cornerback Richard Sherman, who’s been out since Week 1 with a calf issue, won’t make his return on Sunday after having his practice window opened this week. He’s expected to return for the Rams game after the bye following the Saints game, giving him more time to get back in shape after missing more than two months.
“He did a good job, was able to practice all three days on scout team,” Shanahan said. “He is right. If we had to do it, we could push it, but it wouldn’t be the smartest thing so we’re going to take him into this bye week and we feel good about him going against the Rams.”
That means Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley will be San Francisco’s starting cornerbacks for the fifth straight game. They’ll take on Michael Thomas, former 49er Emmanuel Sanders, Drew Brees and the Saints’ fourth-ranked scoring offense Sunday.
▪ The 49ers also ruled out running back Tevin Coleman (knee), linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (hamstring), and slot cornerback K’Waun Williams (ankle).
▪ For the Saints, running back Dwayne Washington (back) is the only player listed on the injury report. He’s questionable to play.
▪ The 49ers announced Friday run game specialist and outside linebackers coach Johnny Holland will not attend the game for personal reasons.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 3:31 PM.
