WR Emmanuel Sanders: 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo is a 'natural-born winner'

The "will they or won't they" situation involving the San Francisco 49ers potentially trading or cutting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo as he recovers from the March surgery he needed to repair a torn capsule in his throwing shoulder while 2021 rookie Trey Lance presumably prepares to become the team's new starter remains unresolved. Logic suggests a parting of the ways is inevitable, especially if a different club loses its QB1 to an injury setback this summer and views Garoppolo as an upgrade over its backup. 

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders caught passes thrown by Garoppolo during the 2019 regular season up through the Super Bowl LIV loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and offered high praise for his former teammate during an appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football." 

"I love Jimmy G," Sanders explained, according to David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. "This is a guy that I remember, going into games, I used to play with so much confidence because I knew that this guy is a winner. You go back and look at his win percentage, his win percentage is ridiculous. He's a natural-born winner. The moment he got to San Francisco, he started winning."

The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami raised eyes when he recently remarked that there is a "97% chance Jimmy Garoppolo will not be on this team once the first training camp practice begins." Sanders wasn't ready to make such a comment. 

"Do I think Jimmy G will be with the Niners? I think Kyle Shanahan is sitting in a good place," Sanders added. "He has a winning quarterback, but he also has his young guy. But he has to make a decision."

If Garoppolo isn't traded before or during the upcoming draft that gets underway on April 28, it's assumed he'll stay attached to the 49ers at least until he can resume throwing exercises in front of would-be buyers in either June or July. 49ers CEO Jed York suggested last week that Garoppolo could serve as Lance's backup for the 2022 season.