Breaking news: Jimmy Garoppolo will be the San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback, and more C.J. Beathard is all but assured of being the team’s backup quarterback. I know this is a shocking revelation, so take a minute to compose yourselves.
That leaves the team with two quarterbacks competing for a practice squad spot, and trying to surprise and push Beathard. The team has added a pair of undrafted free agents over the past two seasons, signing Nick Mullens last year and Jack Heneghan this year.
Mullens joined the team out of Southern Mississippi. In four seasons at Southern Miss, Mullens appeared in 44 games (41 starts) and completed 60 percent of his passes for 11,994 yards, with 87 touchdowns and 46 interceptions. In 11 starts as a senior, he completed 63 percent of his passes for 3,272 yards, with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Mullens spent last offseason and training camp in the fourth quarterback role behind Brian Hoyer, Matt Barkley, and C.J. Beathard. The team released Barkley and Mullens at the end of training camp, and then signed Mullens to the practice squad. He spent the entire 2017 season on the practice squad.
Basic info
Age: 23
Experience: 0 accrued seasons (1 season on practice squad)
Height: 6’1
Weight: 187 pounds
Cap Status
Signed reserve/future contract in January. He is due a base salary of $480,000 if he makes the 53-man roster. The team owes him no guaranteed money.
What to expect in 2018
His most likely roster option this season is the practice squad. He would get another season of seasoning, and a chance to potentially try and supplant C.J. Beathard in 2019.
Odds of making the roster
His odds of making the 53-man roster seem pretty slim at best. The competition instead is with Jack Heneghan for a single practice squad spot. My guess is Mullens gets another year, but he’s facing some competition for the practice squad.