When the San Francisco 49ers fell short of the Super Bowl last season, not only did it seem to be the end of a great comeback story during the season but it also felt like Jimmy Garoppolo’s time with the franchise was over. The 49ers traded up three first-round picks months before to select quarterback Trey Lance from North Dakota State with the third overall pick, all but signaling the end of Garoppolo’s time as their leader.

But things have been a little bit awkward over the last few months. Everybody thought the team would just trade Garoppolo, hand the franchise keys over to Lance and let him do his job. To be fair, he has been acting as the starter ever since the season ended, but not all things have exactly happened as the 49ers expected.

Garoppolo still hasn’t been traded.

It’s entirely possible to be grateful for what Jimmy Garoppolo did for the 49ers and still be excited about Trey Lance. You don’t have to spew hate for either one. #FTTB

— Stephanie McCarroll (@SoCaliSteph) May 19, 2022

After the season ended, a shoulder injury forced Garoppolo to have surgery, and the fact that he’s still recovering from an injury to his throwing shoulder has made other teams wary of trading for him. Even franchises with no clear answer at quarterbacks, such as the Houston Texans or the Carolina Panthers, have not entertained the idea of acquiring him ever since.

Trey Lance. Perfection: 3 for 3. #49ers pic.twitter.com/X9S6QtXTIT

— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) May 24, 2022

Kyle Shanahan said today at OTAs that he still expects Garoppolo to move on:

“I expect at sometime he’ll be traded, but it’s not a guarantee. It went on hold when it (surgery) happened.”

But while Lance is clearly the future of the franchise (and there’s no doubt about it considering how much they invested in him), the fact that Garoppolo’s still on the roster adds pressure on him. Like, what if Lance plays poorly – which is more likely than not considering his lack of experience -, will the team switch to the veteran? If Garoppolo’s the better player in practice, will they go with the safer option for 2o22?

The #49ers went through a helmet-less 11-on-11 session to end a 90-minute practice. Trey Lance was 15 of 17 in 7-on-7 work for those who are keeping a spread sheet to document this all-important information.

— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) May 24, 2022

The 49ers are in a strange situation as of now. They’d like to trade Garoppolo and just move on with Lance, but it takes two to dance the tango. Lance shouldn’t be worried about the veteran, but it’s still an awkward situation nevertheless.