Perhaps Jimmy Garoppolo has always been the most realistic option for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021. There is no doubt that the team examined the possibility of improving the defender’s position when Matthew Stafford became available. The cost became very high, and members of the 49ers’ leadership were unwilling to engage in a bidding war to go from Garoppolo to Stafford.

So, where does that leave the 49ers? Perhaps back to the starting point. Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have publicly expressed confidence in Garoppolo and said they expected him to be the starter in 2021. Of course, that does not mean that you ignore an opportunity when it comes.

San Francisco has overtaken Stafford and will now have to compete against him at least twice a year after the Lions sent him to rival Los Angeles Rams for two future choices in the first round, a third round and quarterback Jared Goff. It is the second consecutive off-season that the 49ers consider an update by Garoppolo.

Matt Miller of the NFL Draft Scout believes there are three realistic options left for the 49ers – none of which are called Deshaun Watson. Let’s face it, he will demand an unprecedented commercial package to keep him from the Houston Texans.

Miller’s first two options are novice defenders.

“With the overall choice in 12th place, Niners can pray that Trey Lance (NDSU) is still on the board, but the most likely option would be Mac Jones, from Alabama,” wrote the project analyst via Instagram.

Miller questions whether coach Kyle Shanahan would be willing to launch a new quarterback on the field immediately, given the time it can take for a young player to feel comfortable with his handbook and layout.

Miller adds: “But the biggest question is whether coach Kyle Shanahan would like to work with a novice quarterback – something he doesn’t have a reputation for.”

Of course, there is also a good chance that the 49ers will recruit a quarterback while holding Garoppolo. This would give the novice the time he needs to learn behind a veteran who already understands the attack. At the moment, the only two 49ers hired quarterbacks are Garoppolo and Josh Johnson. CJ Beathard is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, Nick Mullens a restricted free agent and Josh Rosen a free agent with exclusive rights.

San Francisco can also wait to see how the rest of the NFL quarterback scenario unfolds and whether any other intriguing possibilities present themselves.