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The 49ers will be without 15 starters on Sunday against the Seahawks.
The 49ers could be in the market for a quarterback in this year’s draft and two of the presumed top quarterback prospects have officially declared.
Florida’s Kyle Trask declared on Dec. 31, and BYU’s Zach Wilson declared the following day. Both players were expected to enter this year’s draft after strong seasons. Trask is a senior while Wilson will leave school after his junior year.
The 49ers’ plan under center is their biggest offseason story line. Whether they do it early or wait until Day 2 or 3, it seems likely San Francisco will draft a quarterback this year with Nick Mullens and CJ Beathard both set for free agency.
Here’s what players and coaches thought of 49ers defensive coordinator Pete Carroll in the ‘90s
Nowadays, you know Carroll as the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl-winning signal-caller who also jump-started an early-2000s dynasty at the University of Southern California. On Sunday, the Niners will finish their 2020 campaign against Carroll’s Seahawks, who just clinched the NFC West. But in 1995, he was coming off a subpar one-year New York Jets stint, which ended with a 6-10 record and some sour grapes.
“When was the last time they had a winning season?” Carroll asked about the Jets following his dismissal — a fair question that still rings true today. “There have been a lot of staffs who didn’t strike it big their first year, but this is (then-owner Leon Hess’) deal and his choice.”
The 49ers will not ask him to take a pay cut. That’s not what this is about. The structure of Garoppolo’s contract gives the 49ers a lot of flexibility.
He is scheduled to count $26.9 million against next year’s cap, including $25.5 million in salary and bonuses. That is why it would be easy for the team to move on from Garoppolo this offseason. There would be very little cap acceleration if they were to trade him.
When the 49ers decide Garoppolo will definitely be back with the club, that’s when they can re-work his contract. The 49ers can easily convert a large portion of his $25.5 million pay into up-front money. That bookkeeping maneuver would push the bulk of the cap hit to 2022, the final year of his contract and a year when the cap should see a significant rise.
PROJECTED TEAM
San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 4th
Kyle Shanahan’s lack of commitment to Jimmy Garoppolo is telling. If they find a better option at the position, they will take it. Trey Lance is a work in progress but the traits present an intriguing match with Shanahan’s offense.
Josh Rosen Could See the Field for the 49ers in Season Finale
Kyle Shanahan mentioned at his presser on Friday that he wants to get all three quarterbacks up for the game on Sunday. Josh Johnson will backup C.J. Beathard with Rosen as the third string. On the surface, it looks like there is no chance at all that Rosen will get to see the field.
However, I would not rule out that possibility.
Shanahan surely is interested to see how much Rosen has learned within the two weeks of being with the team. I would even argue that he has to see a little bit of Rosen. The 49ers have nothing to lose in this game, so all three quarterbacks could even be rolled out there.
Shanahan should treat his quarterbacks like a manager does with his pitchers. Let the starter play half of the game, then give the relief pitchers (backup quarterbacks) an inning (quarter) each. If Shanahan was comfortable enough, then I would just give Rosen the second half and not play Johnson who is a career backup. There is nothing to learn with Johnson.