Garoppolo’s absence from minicamp a sign he’s done with 49ers?

The San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback on the trade block won’t be in Santa Clara this week.

And it’s increasingly fair to wonder whether Jimmy Garoppolo ever will return to the team facility as a member of the franchise.

Garoppolo, who has been rehabbing from shoulder surgery he had in early March, has been “excused” from this week’s mandatory minicamp, a league source said. The three-day minicamp begins Tuesday and players can be subject to fines, at a team’s discretion, for not attending. Players can be fined a maximum of $95,877 for missing all three days.

Last month, head coach Kyle Shanahan said he expected wide receiver Deebo Samuel and two other prominent players who have not attended the offseason program, left tackle Trent Williams and pass rusher Nick Bosa, to be present for the minicamp. That suggested the 49ers have at least partially mended their relationship with Samuel, who is seeking a contract extension and requested a trade in April.

As far as Garoppolo, his excused absence this week is not a surprise. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have said they were close to dealing Garoppolo early in the offseason before his surgery tabled trade talks. Last month, Shanahan expressed some degree of confidence that a trade would be executed once Garoppolo is healthy. He is expected to resume throwing around early July.

“I expect him at some time, most likely, to be traded, but who knows,” Shanahan said. “It’s not a guarantee — and it’s been exactly on hold (since his surgery). And when he is healthy, we’ll see what happens.”

Shanahan’s tone regarding Garoppolo’s future with the franchise has changed since he spoke with reporters at the owners’ meetings in late March. At that time, Shanahan indicated Garoppolo would remain on the roster in 2022 if the 49ers couldn’t find a trade partner because they were “not just going to get rid of a good quarterback.” Shanahan also said he expected Garoppolo to attend the offseason program, which began in mid-april.

“When we start up, if he’s with our team, I expect him to be with us,” Shanahan said.

However, Garoppolo hasn’t been in communication with at least one notable member of the coaching staff: New quarterbacks coach Brian Griese recently said he hasn’t spoken with Garoppolo since he was hired in March. And players and coaches have spoken about quarterback Trey Lance as if he is the unquestioned starter. Last week, defensive coordinator Demeco Ryans discussed Lance’s emerging leadership role and how he’s “able to take control of the team.”

“You can tell he’s way more demanding,” running back Jeff Wilson said. “You can just tell that he’s embracing the role. You can see it. He’s growing up (and) he’s maturing at a rapid pace.”

The 49ers can create $25.5 million in salary-cap space by trading Garoppolo, which would facilitate their ability to sign Samuel and Bosa to top-of-themarket contract extensions. They also could create that cap space if they released Garoppolo, once he can pass a physical. Garoppolo has $7.5 million of his 2022 salary guaranteed for injury.