49ers' Shanahan: I expect Garoppolo 'to be our starter next year'

The San Francisco 49ers don't appear to be in the market for a new franchise quarterback.

Despite rumors suggesting the Niners could be ready to part with injured quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, head coach Kyle Shanahan foresees a continued partnership.

"I expect Jimmy to be our starter next year," Shanahan said on Tuesday.

Garoppolo has posted a sparkling 22-8 record as the Niners' starter, and he contributed to their run to the Super Bowl last season. However, he's often cited as the weak link on a team built around a strong defense and dependable running game.

The signal-caller is expected to be sidelined until mid-December with a high ankle sprain, and returning this season hasn't been ruled out.

"I mean, I expect him to come and play with us this year. We have six games left. We are not out of the playoffs yet," Shanahan said.

Injuries have decimated the 49ers' roster this season, but they own a 4-6 record and aren't entirely out of the postseason picture.

"I've been on a team that was 3-6 going into a bye week that ended up winning their division. I think we have guys on this team capable of finishing this the right way," Shanahan said. "We've gotta do it one game at a time and I hope Jimmy can come back and be a part of that but to think that we've made any decisions on anybody going into the future isn't the case.

"Jimmy has won a lot of games for us this year. It's a lot harder to win games when he's not here. Just hoping we can get him back."

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