The 49ers made it clear this week they moved up to the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft to select a quarterback, but current players remain supportive of the team's current starting signal-caller.
D.J. Jones went on KNBR this week, and when asked about the 49ers' quarterback position, emphasized his support for Jimmy Garoppolo.
"Obviously, that's the type of move that seems to be to get one of these elite young quarterbacks, but Jimmy's my guy, and I don't want anybody to forget that," Jones said Friday on the "Murph & Mac" show (h/t 49ers Web Zone). "He took us to a Super Bowl. Don't you ever forget that. All these people that are talking to me, you can never do that. Jimmy G did something that most quarterbacks have never done, so that's my guy, that's our guy."
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The defensive lineman wasn't the only one to vocalize his support for Garoppolo this week. Running back Raheem Mostert was on Sirius XM Thursday and said he believes Jimmy G will be the 49ers' starting quarterback when the 2021 season gets underway.
"I believe Jimmy Garoppolo will be our starting quarterback going into this season," Mostert said (h/t Michael Fabiano/Pro Football Talk).
No matter who the 49ers end up selecting, Garoppolo would provide the front office the luxury of not throwing a rookie into the fire right away, allowing him to sit and learn from a proven QB.
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San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers traded up to the No. 3 pick to have the chance to select one of the five quarterbacks expected to go early in the first round. Outside of presumptive No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence, the 49ers could have the choice of BYU's Zach Wilson, North Dakota State's Trey Lance, Ohio State's Justin Fields and Alabama's Mac Jones.
Smokescreen season is in full effect as the 49ers continue to be linked to all of the above names by "insiders" everywhere.
It's clear Garoppolo still has support from inside the 49ers' locker room, which speaks to his ability as a leader both on and off the field.
Garoppolo will be joined by a first-round pick in the quarterback room next season, and although he almost certainly will be replaced by that rookie as the starting quarterback at some point, his 49ers teammates have not lost faith in him.