49ers news: Biggest winners, losers from 2021 NFL trade deadline

49ers Winner: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo

Kind of an odd winner here. But in some ways, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is a clear-cut winner in the wake of the NFL trade deadline.

True, Garoppolo still has to look over his shoulder at rookie quarterback Trey Lance, and Garoppolo remains a lame-duck signal-caller despite Kyle Shanahan’s continued insistence Jimmy G remains “the guy” under center. At least for now.

Garoppolo probably wasn’t heavily shopped at the trade deadline. Even if he was, his no-trade clause was still in play, and it seems likely Garoppolo would have only signed off on a deal if his would-be destination wouldn’t alter his current contract, paying out the prorated amount of $26-plus million this season with an additional $27 million due in 2022.

That could have possibly been a win for Garoppolo, too, especially if he was traded to a contender that didn’t have a Lance-like protege waiting in the folds.

But for Garoppolo to be a 49ers winner here, Shanahan and the front office had to express faith in his abilities to continue for the rest of the current season.

Based on the non-move and lack of reported transaction attempts, that’s precisely what happened.