Rumors about the availability of Sam Darnold in the retail market will only get louder as the new league year and the NFL draft approach. The 49ers have been linked to a potential Darnold trade in various hypothetical industries, but nothing significant has been reported regarding San Francisco’s interest in the quarterback.
If they think about taking such a step, it will not be cheap.
Peter King of NBC Sports wrote in his column Football Morning in America that there is league interest in Darnold, who will cost at least a high pick in the second round.
From King:
No team in the next 14 months has a better draft situation than the Jets. Currently, they own a decent piece of quarterback property in Sam Darnold. He is at least worth a high pick in the second round in this draft – 39th overall for Carolina, maybe or 40th for Denver, or 43rd for San Francisco. (The 49ers are my personal favorite.)
The 49ers make sense as a landing spot for Darnold, as much of the former No. 3 overall pick in three years with the Jets could possibly be attributed to organizational failures around him. San Francisco has an infrastructure along with the offensive plan of head coach Kyle Shanahan, which could potentially elevate Darnold to a higher level of play than he has achieved so far in his career.
On the other hand, if he picks a second round for him, it means the team is likely to aim to get him started this season as he is in the final year of his rookie deal. Using a second round on a backup that could leave in free agency next year is probably not a sensible use of a premium pick for a team with as many holes as the 49ers.
We theorized that the club could move a mid-choice for Darnold to get him into the building as a backup and to see what he can do in practice before offering an extension in the off-season. It will be worthwhile to find out what Darnold looks like in Shanahan’s transgression. A second round picks a much higher risk.
Ultimately, the 49ers need to identify a player who could be their long-term answer if Garoppolo does not increase his game or stay healthy in 2021. If Darnold is the player, it makes sense to get him – even opting for a second round. However, if there are any questions about him, the choice could be better used with a rookie without underperforming in 38 NFL principles.