for the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Regardless of how Brock Purdy’s elbow surgery goes this week or the San Francisco 49ers’ confidence in Trey Lance, the defending NFC runners-up will add an experienced quarterback.
San Francisco just can’t have a repeat of last season. Said campaign ended with Josh Johnson seeing extensive action in a blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game.
With Purdy’s questionable return schedule and Lance’s lack of experience, general manager John Lynch needs to add a quarterback. That much is already known.
“We may need to look at the quarterback market alongside Brock and Trey to protect ourselves from anything that might happen,” Lynch said at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this offseason.
With San Francisco currently sitting just $7.82 million below the 2023 NFL salary cap, adding a high-profile veteran to the mix is nowhere on the horizon. Lynch and company also recently pretty much declared the end of Jimmy Garoppolo’s tenure in Northern California. He’s ready to go free and generate interest that market dynamics will make a return to San Francisco impossible.
What we do know is that Lynch and company will be working to create more cap room ahead of the March 13th start of the NFL manipulation period for free agents. This should allow the 49ers to pick their pitch when it comes to second division quarterbacks, which will end up being a soft market for players of this ilk. Here I look at five options that make the most sense.
San Francisco 49ers admit quarterback help may be needed this offseason (forbes.com)
Baker Mayfield
the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Free Agency. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Some quarterbacks in this class will wait and see how the NFL draft plays before signing with a team. I don’t expect that to be the case with Mayfield. The former No. 1 pick is in a position where he is likely to land a one-year deal. It makes sense to find a landing spot that gives it a real chance to launch.
With Purdy’s return schedule potentially stretching into Week 1, San Francisco would be ideal for Mayfield. It has the star power on offense to help it prove its worth.
From the 49ers’ perspective, the soft free agent market could be beneficial at the quarterback. Typically, someone with Mayfield’s track record would land an entry-level job in the open market. This time it is highly unlikely that that will be the case. In 2020, Mayfield threw 26 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions en route to a rare playoff appearance with the Cleveland Browns.
Jacoby Brissett
Jacoby Brissett as an option. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Brissett is one of those quarterbacks who oscillated between starter quality on the low end and backup material on the high end. He’s also someone San Francisco should believe can slip into a stopgap role and make short-term appearances.
While replacing a suspended Deshaun Watson for 11 games with the Browns last season, Brissett completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,608 yards for 14 total touchdowns and six interceptions.
As with all of the options I’ve listed here, it’s only going to be about price. When Brissett is grossing less than $10 million on a one-year contract, the 49ers have a lot to think about.
Carson Wentz
San Francisco 49ers. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Wentz would be the ultimate winback project for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. Here’s a veteran who has played with three different teams in as many seasons since originally playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. The former No. 2 is also seen as somewhat disaffected, which will limit the interest he receives in NFL free agency.
At this point, the 49ers could likely add Wentz into the mix with a very low base salary in 2023. That means about $5 million with a lot of contracted incentives.
Prior to his struggles over the past three seasons, Wentz was considered an up-and-coming young quarterback. From 2017-19 he was responsible for 81 touchdowns and just 21 interceptions in Philadelphia.
Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
San Francisco had a keen interest in Dalton before eventually ending up with the Chicago Bears ahead of the 2021 season. It didn’t materialize after the former Pro Bowler landed a one-year, $10 million deal in Chicago. That was more than what the 49ers were willing to offer.
The good news? Dalton’s contract with the Saints last season included a guarantee of just $3 million. The veteran knows where his value currently lies. And in reality, that matches what the 49ers are willing to pay for a potential third-string man.
As for Dalton’s most recent success, he threw up 18 touchdowns versus nine interceptions last season in New Orleans while completing 67 percent of his passes. Not too shabby.
Matt Ryan
Shanahan with Matt Ryan. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Realistically, Ryan hit that proverbial wall that we’ve seen from every great quarterback of yesteryear. The former NFL MVP was absolutely cruel in his freshman season with the Indianapolis Colts, throwing 13 interceptions in just 12 starts.
Now that Indianapolis is set to leave him after just one season, a reunion with Kyle Shanahan might make sense. Ryan would come cheap. He worked under Shanahan when he was the Atlanta Falcons offensive line coordinator and was eventually named the 2016 NFL MVP.
San Francisco could be hoping Ryan has a decent season left in him. A return to an offense he knows could help. At the very least, the borderline future Hall of Famer could serve as fodder for training camp should Purdy’s recovery be extended and/or Lance fail to prove he’s capable of being a starting quarterback.
follow me Twitter.
Senior Editor at Sportsnaut, a subsidiary of Publisher Desk. Hear it on ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio.
Formerly from Yahoo! Sport, Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus and Fox Sports.
The Bay to Vegas!!!
Continue readingread less
