The San Francisco 49ers quarterback situation is a conundrum at the moment, but it does not sound like changes will be happening in the near future. ESPN’s Jim Trotter tweeted that Carlos Hyde and NaVorro Bowman both told him there has not been a whisper in the locker room about needing to make a quarterback change.
Spoke to Bowman and Hyde this week. Each told me there hasn't been a whisper in the locker room about needing to make a change QB. #49ers
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) October 2, 2016
While it is hard to buy whether or not some people have talked about it, I do like that two players are at least willing to go on record about the quarterback situation. I would not be surprised if more Blaine Gabbert struggles leads to some whispers, but for the time being, the team is presenting a united front. And of course, it is also possible players don’t think a change would make enough of a difference for it to matter right now.
Chip Kelly has said that Colin Kaepernick is the No. 2, in part because he is still getting back to full strength. He says Kaepernick is still re-gaining muscle mass to get to the point he was prior to his surgeries last fall. Kaepernick has said he is ready to play, but he acknowledged he is not completely where he was physically before the surgeries. One reason that is not a paradox is that both Kaepernick and Kelly have said the quarterback could go into a game if needed to replace an injured Gabbert. Rather, it’s about formally taking over at the starting position.
The 49ers face a Cowboys defense on Sunday that has not been particularly good for some time now. I think this game requires more of Carlos Hyde and the defense than the passing game, but if Blaine Gabbert and his receivers are going to get something going, this is the game where it has to happen. If it doesn’t, things get much more difficult in Week 5 when they head to Arizona.