Is Jimmy Garoppolo playing tonight against the Cardinals?

Jimmy Garoppolo's long list of injuries continued to pile up last week as the San Francisco 49ers quarterback left the game against the Seattle Seahawks with a calf injury.

Garoppolo has been in the middle of a quarterback controversy during the 2021 season, as the 49ers traded up in the draft to select North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance as the third-overall pick. While Garoppolo was named the starter for the season, there was a belief among fans that Lance's upside would represent the better option for the 49ers to return to the Super Bowl.

Lance finished the game for San Francisco last week. Is Jimmy Garoppolo back in the starting lineup for today's game?

Jimmy Garoppolo out for the game against the Cardinals

Garoppolo's calf injury will keep the veteran out for Sunday's game against Arizona, as confirmed by head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Trey Lance will get his first NFL start.

Garoppolo has been a mixed bag this season. His numbers are ok (66% completion percentage, 925 yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs), but the offense looked stalled at times with the quarterback missing a few deep throws where the receivers were well-positioned.

Green Bay Packers v San Francisco 49ers

Lance, on the other hand, is still a raw player but one who flashes a lot of upside. He has a cannon for an arm and his greatest attribute is vital to Kyle Shanahan's offense: his mobility - and one area where Garoppolo lacks as well. When Lance was drafted, everybody asked themselves how Shanahan's offense would look now that it had a quarterback equipped to run all the concepts. Week 5 will give us a good idea.

Is Garoppolo in danger of losing his starter job?

Kyle Shanahan won't say it publicly, but it's impossible not to wonder whether Garoppolo will return to the field if Lance and the 49ers pull an upset against the Cardinals, the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL.

Garoppolo, while a capable veteran, can't be counted to remain healthy throughout an entire season. He was hurt at the start of four of the last six seasons, and Lance has a much-higher upside for the future.

The financial situation also makes it a little more difficult for Garoppolo to return to the field, as Lance's rookie contract will be a valuable asset for the 49ers to build a strong roster for the upcoming years. Giving the rookie as much experience as he can get in 2021 will pay off in the future.

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