The San Francisco 49ers do not need a new quarterback at this point. If his rehab holds to form, Jimmy Garoppolo will be back starting for the team when the preseason arrives. Nick Mullens emerged as an impressive backup option and could very well supplant C.J. Beathard for that role over the next seven months. The team might bring in some competition for camp, but their quarterback room is mostly set.
The same cannot be said for much of the rest of the NFL. The best teams are able to find their franchise quarterback and build around him. The Super Bowl shows two such options and different ways to approach it. Both Tom Brady and Jared Goff were acquired in the draft, but the Patriots are at a point of building around a more expensive veteran, while the Rams are benefiting from Goff’s rookie deal.
The 49ers don’t need a quarterback, but their pursuit of a high end edge rusher or other big defensive option in the 2019 NFL Draft could be impacted by the evolving market. The latest news is that the Philadelphia Eagles are expected to let quarterback Nick Foles walk free and clear, per NFL reporter Cecil Lammey. They could exercise his option and force him to pay back some bonus money, but it seems unlikely they’ll do that.
Looking through the 2019 draft order, teams that might need a quarterback include the Buccaneers (#5 overall), Giants (#6), Jaguars (#7), Broncos (#10), Dolphins (#13), and Washington (#15). The back half includes teams potentially looking for a long-term option for down the road, but those six teams are the most likely to make some kind of splash at the position due to their current circumstances.
Foles does not seem like a long-term option, but his performance in the Super Bowl last year and then given the Eagles a run this year suggests someone might overpay at least on a short-term deal. Nobody will give him a five year contract, but someone could view him as a sufficient bridge option that they decide they don’t need to make a move up the draft board for a quarterback at this point. He’s just one of several names that will need to be on our radar as we try and figure out what might shake things up around the 49ers come draft day.