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San Francisco 49ers: Which Quarterback Should Start for Chip Kelly in 2016?

By Bryan Knowles

Nov 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) warm up before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) warm up before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) warm up before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) warm up before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Most teams have an idea who their quarterback will be in 2016, but not the San Francisco 49ers.

We are approximately 200 days from the start of the 2016 NFL regular season, and the question of who should start at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers remains an open one.

With a new head coach in Chip Kelly bringing in a new offensive format, a former up-and-coming franchise quarterback in Colin Kaepernick with an onerous contract still on the roster, a high draft pick and plenty of cap space, it’s a wide open question.

There are more possibilities for the 49ers’ starting quarterback than any other team in the league.

So, who should it be? The 49ers do not have complete control over this—they don’t get right of first refusal on free agents, for example. Nor can they prevent the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys from drafting a quarterback in the first round.

However, the 49ers’ options, broadly, boil down to six different players or categories of player. They are:

  • Colin Kaepernick, the Super Bowl quarterback who saw his play fall far off of a cliff last season, and hasn’t really improved since 2013.
  • Blaine Gabbert, the former first-round pick who bombed out in Jacksonville before showing a few sparks of competency in San Francisco last season.
  • A young free-agent, brought in to lead the team going forward. Think Kirk Cousins, Sam Bradford or Brock Osweiler.
  • A veteran free-agent, brought in to serve as a bridge until a young player is ready. Think Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Moore or Tarvaris Jackson.
  • A first-round draft pick, like California’s Jared Goff, North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz or Memphis’ Paxton Lynch.
  • A second-day draft pick, like Michigan State’s Connor Cook, North Carolina State’s Jacoby Brissett or Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg.

So, who should it be? Who should be behind center when the 49ers open the season? Let’s rank all six possibilities in reverse order.

Next: Race for the Old