Barlow to start Sunday; competition to continue with Gore

Keeping a veteran quarterback while drafting his eventual replacement isn't a new idea. The San Francisco 49ers did that last week with the selection of Trey Lance of North Dakota State. They also intend to keep Jimmy Garoppolo, their starter since 2017, around. The Kansas City Chiefs did it with Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes. The 49ers did it with Smith and Colin Kaepernick. The Green Bay Packers did it with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. It's a solid blueprint that allows a rookie to more easily transition from the college game to the pros, especially when thrown into an offense as complex as head coach Kyle Shanahan's. "First and foremost, Jimmy's really good," general manager John Lynch said this morning on KNBR's Murph & Mac show. "He's a

When the San Francisco 49ers traded for Jimmy Garoppolo in 2017, he was seen as the team's quarterback of the future. He was the player who would solidify the position — the most important in sports — for years to come. Three years after signing a long-term deal with the team, the Niners drafted Garoppolo's eventual replacement. San Francisco made Trey Lance of North Dakota State the No. 3 overall pick last week. Garoppolo remains in the 49ers' plans for the upcoming season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has repeatedly stated that the veteran quarterback will be his starter for Week 1 while leaving the door cracked open for the rookie by saying anything is possible. For now, Garoppolo will be the man under center. However, behind him on the depth chart is

The 2021 NFL Draft begins this week and will be held with in-person participants after last year's festivities were conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This represents a bit of a return to some normalcy. Although, capacity at the event will be limited due to continued safety concerns. The 2021 NFL Draft will span three days, starting on Thursday night. Below is some information about the league's annual rookie selection event. WHAT: 86th Annual National Football League Player Selection Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio. WHEN: 5:00 PM PT, Thursday, April 29 (Round 1) 4:00 PM PT, Friday, April 30 (Rounds 2-3) 9:00 AM PT, Saturday, May 1 (Rounds 4-7) In 2020, the first round

Now that Trey Lance is a member of the San Francisco 49ers, the question becomes when he'll get his chance to see the field. But for now, Lance doesn't seem to be thinking that far ahead and is instead focusing on getting his feet wet in the Bay Area. In particular, Lance is looking forward to getting to know his teammates, including current starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, and learning everything he can about his new team and his new home. Lance spoke to 49ers beat reporters for the first time Thursday night after the team made him the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Lance was asked if he expected a similar situation as the one he experienced in college at North Dakota State, where he spent time on the sidelines before taking over the starting