Seven potential backup QB options for 49ers as market thins
John Lynch said the 49ers needed to bolster their quarterback depth behind Jimmy Garoppolo in order to make sure another season wasn't flushed away should the oft-injured Garoppolo go down.The 49ers had options on the free-agent market, but one by one, they all found other homes. With Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor, Mitchell Trubisky, Andy Dalton and Jacoby Brissett all off the board, the 49ers are running out of options to find a reliable backup for Garoppolo.So, how will the 49ers address the hole behind Jimmy G?Here are seven potential backup QB options for the 49ers with the free-agent market drying up.
Age: 24
Accrued seasons: Three
Previous teams: Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Let's start with the guy who already is on the roster.
Rosen was a top-10 pick back in 2018, but spent only one year with the Arizona Cardinals before they ejected him in favor of drafting Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in 2019.
Rosen has since bounced around, with the 49ers signing him off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad late last season.
In his career, Rosen has completed 54.8 percent of his passes while throwing 12 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
Rosen will have a chance to resurrect his young career in Santa Clara, but the 49ers aren't yet sold on him being Garoppolo's backup.
Age: 24
Accrued seasons: Two
Previous teams: Jacksonville Jaguars
Gardner Minshew has been solid as a sixth-round draft pick, but the Jacksonville Jaguars own the No. 1 overall pick and almost certainly will draft Clemson star Trevor Lawrence to be the face of the franchise.
The Jaguars also reportedly agreed to sign former 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard on Wednesday, which could open the door to the Jaguars trading Minshew.
However, Minshew is on a rookie deal and has shown he can be an adequate NFL starter. That would make him a solid backup option to Lawrence, so the Jags won't just give him away.
In nine games last season, Minshew threw for 2,259 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 66.1 percent of his passes.
Age: 23
Accrued seasons: Three
Previous teams: New York Jets
At the moment, new Jets head coach Robert Saleh hasn't made a decision on if he wants Darnold to be his quarterback in 2021. The Jets own the No. 2 overall pick, and signs currently point to them selecting either BYU's Zach Wilson or Ohio State's Justin Fields as their next quarterback.
If Darnold does hit the trade market, the 49ers would have to inquire about the price to acquire the 2018 No. 3 overall pick. But Darnold, who has an affordable price tag, might cost too much for the 49ers' liking. A decision also has to be made on his fifth-year option, and Darnold hasn't done enough to warrant a team guaranteeing him a salary of $18.858 million in 2022.
As of right now, the 49ers don't appear to be interested in acquiring Darnold. But things could change.
Age: 36
Accrued seasons: 16
Previous teams: 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Football Team
Smith made an impressive return to the field last season following a leg injury and life-threatening infection. He threw for 1,582 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions while helping the Football Team win the NFC East.
But Smith, who currently is a free agent, played in only eight games and battled a calf injury that forced him to miss Washington's playoff loss to the Bucs.
Currently, the 49ers do not appear interested in a reunion with Smith, but he could become an option as the market continues to thin.
Age: 22
College: Alabama
Expected draft round: 1
Before free agency, the prospect of the 49ers drafting a quarterback in Round 1 appeared unlikely, as many expected the 49ers to have at least one more pressing need to fill with the No. 12 overall pick.
But with Trent Williams, K'Waun Williams, Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley all returning, the 49ers have the flexibility to take a swing on a top prospect in Round 1 if Kyle Shanahan so chooses.
Alabama's Mac Jones would be the likely selection unless the 49ers opt to surrender draft capital to move up the board, which doesn't appear to be a likely scenario at this point.
Jones is coming off an incredible season, recording the highest grade ever for a Power Five quarterback in Pro Football Focus history and surpassing Joe Burrow's mark from 2019.
The 6-foot-3 signal-caller is very accurate on short and intermediate throws and tosses perhaps the best deep ball in the class. He's a smart quarterback who is adept at moving in the pocket to extend plays. Jones does have athletic limitations that could give some teams pause in using a first-round pick on him.
While leading Alabama to a national title, Jones completed 77.4 percent of his passes for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also was excellent when facing pressure, completing 56 of 88 passes for 976 yards, 556 air yards, 13 touchdowns, two interceptions and a quarterback rating of 131.4 when under duress.
If Shanahan believes Jones has a Matt Ryan-like ceiling, he could decide to draft the Alabama star in Round 1, give him a season to sit behind Garoppolo before turning the offense over to Jones in 2022.
Age: 22
College: Stanford
Expected draft round: 3-4
Jones is an intriguing option for the 49ers, but conventional wisdom says the 49ers either will take the top cornerback, offensive lineman or edge rusher on the board at No. 12 to give them an answer at an upcoming or current position of need.
But the 49ers could look to draft Mills on Day 3. General manager John Lynch was in attendance at Stanford's pro day and the 6-foot-4 Mills has the makings of an NFL starter. He's a crisp thrower of the football and can make every throw.
Mills was a top recruit coming out of high school but only played in 14 games (11 starts) at Stanford. In his 11 starts, Mills completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 3,468 yards, 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Age: 22
College: Ohio State
Expected draft round: 1
So we went over the likely Day 1 option and possible later-round option. Now, for the unlikely Round 1 option.
Ohio State's Justin Fields has No. 1 overall pick talent. He's an incredible athlete with a powerful arm and is an accurate thrower. But, much like Oregon's Justin Herbert a year ago, scouts have had too much time to pick apart Fields' game and that has led him to drop behind Zach Wilson as the draft's No. 3 QB.
I don't expect Fields to slide past the No. 5 pick, but if he starts to tumble the 49ers could call around and ask about the price to move up to the No. 7-to-9 range to grab him. It would cost a lot of draft capital, but Fields is an incredible talent and I'm not sure the 49ers could pass up the opportunity to nab him.
It's an unlikely outcome, but Fields is on the list just in case the 49ers are presented with the opportunity to move up and grab him.
