The potential star power available at quarterback during the season could be enough to profoundly change the NFL landscape. Deshaun Watson seems ready to move on from Houston. Matthew Stafford is on his way out of Detroit and a solemn press conference by Aaron Rodgers sparked speculation (emphasis on speculation) that he is done with the Packers.
The 49ers may be looking for a quarterback upgrade, which means any possible available caller will be linked to San Francisco and head coach Kyle Shanahan. While this logic follows, especially in the case of a clear upgrade from Garoppolo like Watson or Rodgers, it is important to keep a few things in mind.
First, there was no material reporting linking the 49ers to any of the possible transactions.
The Dolphins and Jets are the only teams mentioned in any report on Watson.
The Stafford report has just indicated that the Lions are making a call about a trade now that they have agreed to separate from their quarter.
Rodgers just had a sad press conference that some read between the lines of his answers. There’s nothing on the table with him yet that indicates he even wants to be out of Green Bay.
The other thing to keep in mind is where the 49ers stand with Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have both indicated that they expect Garoppolo to be the frontrunner next season.
Shanahan said the player needs a significant upgrade to entertain San Francisco to make a change at quarterback. Considering the draft capital, it will be necessary to acquire a quarterback who is the substantial upgrade the 49ers would seek, increases the risk factor in any risk-reward analysis for San Francisco.
It looks like the 49ers coach and frontman feel better about their chances with Garoppolo as center-back than some fans and analysts do. They have said all the right things regarding the QB, and their actions have supported it up to this point. They have not lined up a quarter of an hour since taking on CJ Beathard in the third round of the 2017 draft. It could certainly change this year with no fullbacks other than Garoppolo and travelman Josh Johnson under contract for next season, but it could not change Garoppolo’s short – term prospects as the starting point for San Francisco.
Shanahan has put together a series full of playmakers who can still produce yards and big plays, even if Garoppolo’s weaknesses push the ball off the field. Trading a valuable draft capital in a year in which the salary cap can be a problem and opening so many holes in the roster would only make sense for a franchise-changing player in the middle.
Now there’s a discussion about Garoppolo’s long-term future with San Francisco.
They have chosen not to extend him, although it could potentially free up money in the short term, and his injuries are very worrying for a team that feels like it’s in the middle of a championship window. Not to mention the shortcomings of Garoppolo as a quarterback, Shanahan is probably not the next decade.
That still does not mean they will be guaranteed for an available quarterback, and it will come as no surprise if they never become a real factor.
Watson has a trade regulations that allow him to determine where he plays. If the 49ers are not a team he prefers, San Francisco can do nothing about it.
Stafford has less control, but the Lions may be willing to work with him if their relationship is still friendly. There is also a chance that Stafford does not fit the upgrade threshold. Shanahan says he has to move on from Garoppolo.
Rodgers may not even want to be traded, so one goes on the back burner for now. Even then, he will have a lot of leverage where the 49ers can be a non-factor if he does not want to go there.
The 49ers should find out their long-term answer to quarterback soon. This is the most important position on the field and Garoppolo may not be the player they are going to build. However, this does not mean that they have to do something drastic in 2021. Just because there are quarterbacks going on does not mean San Francisco will be guaranteed. And when it comes down to it, they may not have much choice.