Rapoport: Jaguars signing ex-49ers QB C.J. Beathard could lead to trade of Gardner Minshew

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars today, joining a quarterback room that will likely soon feature No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence. NFL insider Ian Rapoport commented on the signing during an NFL Now segment and discussed what it might mean for another Jaguars quarterback.

"And this is interesting, not just because a former third-round pick finds a landing spot, not just because this is one of the more interesting quarterback rooms by Trent Baalke and Urban Meyer," Rapoport said. "It's also because they have had trade talks surrounding Gardner Minshew. I know some teams are interested in him. I know they've called.

"Perhaps this could mean a trade of Gardner Minshew would be more palatable for the organization because they have a backstop there. We will see."

How could this be 49ers-related? Jeremy Fowler mentioned Minshew in a recent feature for ESPN while discussing San Francisco's quarterback situation. The writer feels that a move might be on the horizon for Kyle Shanahan's squad.

RELATED ESPN's Fowler feels 49ers are 'up to something' at QB; Gardner Minshew rumors persist

"The 49ers are up to something at quarterback," wrote Fowler. "They had extensive talks with Flacco, who hit it off with Kyle Shanahan during a visit last week before ultimately choosing Philly. They pushed for Dalton and also spoke with Trubisky's reps. Rumors persist that Jacksonville quarterback Gardner Minshew II could be in their plans via trade."

As stated earlier, rumors don't mean a link between Minshew and the 49ers, but the tidbit has created significant fan chatter on social media.

RELATED 49ers Should Trade for an AFC South Quarterback

Minshew has 20 games of starting experience in his two NFL seasons and has a relatively low salary over the next two seasons, given he was a sixth-round pick in 2019. The Jaguars quarterback completed 216-of-327 pass attempts (66.1 percent) for 2,259 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions through nine games in 2020.

As Rapoport said, "We will see."