4 glaring takeaways from 49ers first training-camp press conference

John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan met with the media on Day 1 of 49ers training camp, and there are some pretty important nuggets to look at.

For weeks now, fans and analysts have spent considerable effort speculating what the San Francisco 49ers were planning to do in a number of different areas.

Are things progressing with All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel and his contract-extension talks? And what about the quarterbacking situation between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance? Are the Niners actually aiming at keeping Jimmy G this season, either in direct competition with Lance or as a high-priced backup?

What about some of the other pressing items on San Francisco’s agenda?

While words are just that, words, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch hope to have addressed those issues and more when they spoke to the media on the opening day of training camp on Tuesday.

Not surprisingly, the talk of Lance and Garoppolo headlined the bulk of the discussion.

49ers presser takeaway No. 1: Kyle Shanahan appreciates Jimmy Garoppolo, but it’s time for Trey Lance

The 49ers’ inability to trade Jimmy G during the offseason likely stemmed from the quarterback’s shoulder surgery after the team was eliminated during the NFC Championship game, and that’s what Shanahan suggested during the presser.

However, any speculation this would lead to a scenario in which Garoppolo might play alongside or even over Lance was quickly put to rest by the head coach:

"I think Jimmy and we knew what move we made the year before on that. Jimmy did a hell of a job coming to camp and winning that job and taking us real close to the Super Bowl. But we have moved on to Trey."

Shanahan also noted how this decision was directly in the light of the Niners aggressively trading up for Lance a year ago, moving up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft to get him, which essentially put a clock on Garoppolo’s time with San Francisco.

With Lance cemented as the starter from this point onward, Shanahan and Lynch also pointed out they’re looking to find a resolution for Garoppolo’s own future that’ll ultimately benefit all parties involved.

49ers presser takeaway No. 2: Trey Lance’s ‘arm fitness’ isn’t a big concern

Just before camp, NFL insider Mike Silver spoke with Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd about Trey Lance’s situation heading into 2022, once again bringing up the question of “arm fitness” and whether or not a reworked throwing motion by the quarterback could create some problems:

Possibly. And even though Niner Noise did our best to explain away those concerns, they keep coming up.

All the way to the 49ers’ opening press conference at training camp.

Kyle Shanahan was asked about those reports, understandably so, yet the head coach pointed out those concerns stemmed from one particular practice last year in which Lance’s arm was sore, and the response is quite telling, as broken down by NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco:

Shanahan also insisted Lance’s arm was just fine and awfully live during the Niners’ previous offseason workouts, such as organized team activities and mandatory minicamp, too.

Granted, this discussion probably won’t go away anytime soon, at least not until the end of camp and perhaps even towards the end of the regular season when, hopefully, Lance has proven those doubts wrong.

49ers presser takeaway No. 3: Deebo Samuel extension isn’t imminent but is getting closer

If the saga between Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t the No. 1 focal point San Francisco had to deal with all offseason, Deebo Samuel’s trade request and parallelling contractual standoff certainly would have been.

The All-Pro wideout seems to have softened his stance toward the 49ers in recent weeks, first attending mandatory minicamp, and the latest bit of news with him showing up on day one for training camp is a good sign both parties are working towards a well-deserved extension.

Read More: Deebo Samuel does Niners a solid, shows up for training camp

While this is certainly good news, John Lynch cautioned that there’s nothing “imminent” as far as negotiations are going:

"I don’t want to get everyone all excited that something is imminent because we’re not there yet. But I’m really hopeful that in the near future we’ll be able to announce something that’s exciting for everyone involved. That’s good. Deebo is here today, and we’re excited about moving forward with him as part of this team."

The Niners do have a history of working out extensions for players towards the beginning of training camp, linebacker Fred Warner being the latest example as his own extension was signed just days before camp began a year ago.

While it might be a bit more complex for Samuel, at least signs are pointing toward it being in the works.

49ers presser takeaway No. 4: Nick Bosa extension might take a while longer

Paralleling the talk about Deebo Samuel’s extension, although not commanding anywhere near the attention, Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa has entered his first year of eligibility for a new deal.

However, as John Lynch pointed out, a new contract might not be in the works just yet.

“If you look at our history, our cadence, most of our deals are done with one year left on the contract,” Lynch said. “Nick’s got two years left, and so that doesn’t make it impossible, but it makes it more likely that it’s something that will be addressed next year.”

Bosa, who recorded a team-high 15.5 sacks and NFL-leading 21 tackles for a loss in 2021 after tearing his ACL early the previous season, could be heading towards the biggest contract for a defensive player ever, especially if he backs up his excellent campaign from a year ago with another in 2022.

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However, San Francisco elected to pick up Bosa’s fully guaranteed fifth-year option for 2022, meaning it doesn’t have to process an extension with the same sort of haste regarding Samuel, who doesn’t qualify for the option because he was a second-round NFL Draft pick.

“As long as we’re here, Nick Bosa is going to be a part of the Niners, and he’s going to get paid handsomely to do so,” Lynch concluded.

So, while Bosa might have to wait for his massive payday, at least it’s on San Francisco’s docket.