Jimmy Garoppolo listed as a starter on initial 49ers regular-season depth chart

The preseason depth chart doesn’t mean anything. The regular season depth chart means it all. Or at least as close to anything it could ever mean.

The 49ers released their week one depth chart and listed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo as a starter on the initial regular season depth chart. Rookie Trey Lance, who will have a coin pack, is backing up.

Given that Garoppolo, and not Lance, will be doing the midweek press conference, it was already speculated that Garoppolo would be the starter. But it’s still a little shocking to see Garoppolo not only in the squad but also at the top of the depth chart, given that the team invested three first-round picks and one third-round pick to get Lance.

There is another wrinkle to watch out for as week one approaches. If, as it seems, coach Kyle Shanahan will keep the door open indefinitely for Lance to take over, the 49ers could still approach Garoppolo with an offer he can’t refuse.

With a salary of $ 24.1million that becomes guaranteed if he’s on the active roster for week one, the 49ers could still say to Garoppolo something like, “We’ve paid you a ton of money these past few years.” years. We cannot justify guaranteeing you $ 24.1 million. How about $ 15 million, and you can do the rest in incentives? And if you don’t like it, well, good luck finding it somewhere else a few days before the start of the season.

Why wouldn’t they do it? Football is business, and it would be a good deal to take some money and space that could be used somewhere else now or later from a guy who, if things work the way they are supposed to work. , will be on the front bench too long. If they proceed with a starter who will inevitably be the replacement with a firm salary of $ 24.1 million, that certainly won’t reflect a good, prudent business decision by the 49ers.