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Earlier today, the Tennessee Titans informed veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck that he was going to be released. Hasselbeck has served as a mentor to Jake Locker after years of starting in Seattle. My first thought was whether or not he might be a potential backup for Colin Kaepernick. Apparently others had the same thought:
Teams interested in Matt Hasselbeck: AZ, Buff, Chi, Cin, Cleve, Indy, NO, NYG, SF & Tampa,...and list could grow.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) March 18, 2013
The 49ers reportedly pursued Hasselbeck in 2011, but nothing ever came of that. The 49ers offense has evolved since then, and the first comment against pursuing Hasselbeck is that he would not have the athleticism needed to run the offense if Kaepernick went down.
I don't know if the athleticism issue is all that significant. Hasselbeck would be able to serve more in a mentor role than anything else, but also provide capable quarterbacking if Kaepernick had to leave a game. The 49ers would obviously have to adjust their offense with Hasselbeck, but even without the QB run option, there is still plenty to work with in the offense.beck.