Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Who Will Be the 49ers’ Third Option at QB?
Apr 13, 2023 at 3:00 PM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear at the NFL owners' meetings that he wanted three quarterbacks at the beginning of training camp. With
Brock Purdy unlikely to be cleared for camp, the team has two quarterbacks—Trey Lance and
Sam Darnold. So who will be the third quarterback for the 49ers?
San Francisco met with two quarterbacks before the team's local pro day on April 12. First, they met with Logan Bonner at Utah State's pro day. Then, they held a private workout with UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson after meeting with him at the NFL Scouting Combine.
At the local pro day, the team invited several quarterbacks—Jake Haener of Fresno State, Tanner McKee of Stanford, and Ike Ogbogu of Houston.
The 49ers have a few scenarios to play with. Shanahan said they wouldn't just draft anyone at quarterback, so let's begin with the draft. It appears the team will look to draft a player. Last season, San Francisco drafted Brock Purdy with the last overall selection, which worked out well for the 49ers. Purdy had a fifth-round grade, but the team had other needs in the fifth round. If a quarterback with high value is available late in the draft, expect the team to pull the trigger on drafting one.
The second scenario is they bring in a veteran on an inexpensive deal. Quarterbacks Kurt Benkert and Josh Johnson could be possible options because they are familiar with the system. No one wants Johnson to wear the red and gold again after his performance in the NFC Championship Game, but a concussion forced him to leave the game. Perhaps he will get another opportunity with the team.
The third scenario is the team signs an undrafted free agent. How likely is it that an undrafted free agent makes the team? According to last year's undrafted free agent,
Jordan Mason, it's around one percent. My point is it's possible. If the 49ers don't see their quarterback taken, they will make an offer to the rookie after the draft.
Who will be the team's third option at quarterback? That's to be determined. If I had to guess, the 49ers would go the draft route. They have 11 draft picks, and the team has no glaring needs. Keep your eyes open to Thompson-Robinson. He seems to have the team's interest.
-
Written by:
Wayne Breezie is a 49ers content creator. He had his first guest appearance on Ronbosports in 2012. He began writing for a Facebook group called the League of the 49ers. Next, he began writing for Nothing But Niners in 2017. In 2018, Wayne Breezie made his debut on YouTube’s Nothing But Niners show. In 2019, he started his podcast called Nitty Gritty Niners. After putting the pen down for several years, Breezie saw an opportunity to write for 49erscap.com. His first published article was in January of 2022 with 49ersCap, and he currently writes and produces weekly podcasts.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
Draft Watch: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley visiting 49ers on Wednesday
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Rapoport: 49ers send clear message to teams inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
7-round mock draft from The Athletic sees 49ers fortifying defense early
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
