For a franchise like the San Francisco 49ers – who often find themselves with a franchise quarterback face at their command – the team enters this off-season with a giant question mark in the most important position in the game.
The glory days of Montana and Young are gone, and the working years of Garcia, Smith and Kaepernick are no more.
The 49ers have linked their success to names like Jimmy Garappolo for the past four seasons – with mixed results.
Let’s dive into the state of this historic franchise as they embark on their quest for their sixth world championship and face the unenviable task of anointing a leader in the most vital position in football. With a warm free agent quarterback pitch, 49ers realistically have three options for the 2021 season.
Will Garoppolo remain?
Garoppolo’s time under the center with the 49ers was somewhat discouraging. Although he took the team to the Super Bowl in 2019, he did so by posting statistics lines largely. This is partly due to the heavy scheme, but also due to his inability to control these games.
Fans were able to see a glimpse of what he could bring in 2019 back and forth against the Saints when he launched for 349 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception in a passer rating of 131.7. The most consistent he has been in 2017, when he helped SF close with a 6-0 record at the end of the season, posting 82.7 QBR. Its 2018 and 2020 seasons have been largely hampered by injuries, so an assessment of those seasons is relatively incomplete.
When looking at the available data, his 2017 numbers are probably an inappropriate name for the quarterback he is, simply due to the fact that the opposing defenses don’t have enough “tape” on him. His 2019/2020 seasons are closer to the player he is and can be. With his QBR in each of those seasons in the 60s, he doesn’t jump off the page and screams the franchise’s quarterback. Unless there is a sudden improvement, Jimmy can be better served as a reserve.
Do 49ers play QB roulette?
A drop in dominoes in this off-season compared to the starting position of defender with the Stafford-Goff switch. This business has somehow defined what to expect for the return of trade in any remaining businesses.
Deshaun Watson is the only quarterback under a contract who has expressed a desire for a change of scenery so far and, apart from the Detroit Lions declaring that he would be leaving Stafford, no other team has publicly released his QB1.
What would be the potential for an agreement for the only known QB commodity requesting leadership of another franchise? John Mclain of the Houston Chronicle is rumored that the Texans want a return to Watson that resembles two choices from the first round, two choices from the second round and two young defensive beginners. This potential return was reported prior to the Stafford deal, so the asking price has probably skyrocketed. Would a deal with Dre Greenlaw, Nick Bosa and the chosen ones be enough to close the deal, and would San Francisco make that deal?
Would SF sweeten the pot and throw Dee Ford and more draft capital into the deal if Houston returned JJ Watt with Watson? This is general armchair and hyperbole management, of course. To complicate matters further – Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract and will have some say in any potential destination. The likelihood of this deal or any other involving Watson likely dropped in the aftermath of Stafford’s deal. It is Shanahan’s turn to choose his poison.
Or – the draft?
Finally, a draft is coming, where there is a selection of good college quarterbacks to choose from after Trevor Lawrence’s assumed selection at the top of the draft.
Shanahan and general manager John Lynch will likely need to be promoted in the draft to catch his guy, if he is there. An ideal spot for 49ers could be the New York Jets in choice # 2. Coach Robert Saleh of the New Jets could take the opportunity to add a defensive holder (or two) from his former SF unit, in addition to draft.
The jump from SF’s choice from # 12 (1200 points value on Jimmy Johnson’s choice value graph) to # 2 (2600) is steep, he would need to start with two 1s (value of 1000 for the first future). In addition, a combination of the 4th of this year (66), the 2nd of the following year (420 value for the 2nd future) and a young defender established as Greenlaw would be needed to complete the agreement.
This would put Shanahan and Co. in pole position to select the apparent heir and potentially accelerate the team in their quest for six.
