Following Thursday's 23-13 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that a decision on who would be the backup quarterback had already been made, but he didn't disclose the name of the player who had won the job. With Barkley now off of the roster, that job appears to belong to the rookie quarterback.
Beathard was selected out of Iowa with the 40th pick in the third round (104 overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. During four preseason games with the 49ers, he completed 26 of his 45 passes for 314 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. On Thursday against the Chargers, Beathard showed some athleticism by running the football three times for 80 yards and a touchdown.
At the moment, the 49ers have three quarterbacks on their roster. They are Hoyer, Beathard, and undrafted rookie Nick Mullens. However, the team still has another wave of roster cuts to make by Saturday afternoon and it is possible they keep only two quarterbacks. That means Mullens may be another roster casualty but is a candidate for the 49ers practice squad.
RELATED
There is also a possibility the 49ers add a quarterback who was a roster casualty of another team, so Beathard's position on the depth chart is not yet set in stone, but the odds are very much in his favor.
"I would love to keep three quarterbacks," Shanahan said on Thursday night, "and that's going to be a hard debate – not about the quarterback position but how we look at the rest of the roster."
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Brock Purdy looked like a quarterback out to silence his critics
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw an interception while trying to connect with tight end George Kittle on a short pass. As he walked off the field, Purdy patted himself on the chest, acknowledging that he knew the throw was his mistake. It was one of the few... -
49ers' George Kittle shares heartfelt message after returning to Bay Area
The San Francisco 49ers returned to the Bay Area this afternoon after a nearly 14-hour flight from Melbourne, Australia, where they spent the past week preparing for their season opener. The 49ers are likely in good spirits after returning from their international trip with a... -
Kyle Shanahan reveals his thoughts on 49ers-Rams, Australia ahead of Week 1
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters before Sunday's (Monday in Melbourne) practice at AAMI Park as the team prepares for its Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. Here's everything Shanahan had to say ahead of the... -
49ers in Melbourne: Rams' plan to avoid San Francisco fans could backfire
The NFL seemingly took away a significant advantage for the San Francisco 49ers by scheduling head coach Kyle Shanahan's team to face the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, in Week 1. The 49ers have essentially benefited from two home games each season while playing the...