The additions of Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley are unlikely to excite, but they have improved the San Francisco 49ers quarterback room from 2016.
Over a week into free agency, there is one thing that can be agreed on — the 49ers are a better team than they were last year.
Whether all the contracts they handed out were smart is debatable and the quality of some of their signings, such as linebacker Malcolm Smith, did not meet favor with everyone.
But it cannot be denied that the 49ers have better depth and more viable options at a number of positions, particularly on offense, though it is up for discussion whether their likely starting quarterback is superior than the one San Francisco had for the majority of last year.
Colin Kaepernick’s improvements under Chip Kelly last season, which saw him throw 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions despite being saddled with a talent-poor supporting cast, suggested he could stick as a starter.
Throw in his ability to make things happen with his legs and there is an argument that Kaepernick is superior to both quarterbacks the Niners brought in, Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley.
Yet, even with Kaepernick’s ability to be a dual threat, the 49ers’ quarterback room is in a better place than it was last year.
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While it is easy to construct an argument that Kaepernick is better than Hoyer, the advantage the 49ers have in going with the latter as their starter is his familiarity with the Shanahan offense.
Hoyer played in Shanahan’s system as a member of the 2014 Cleveland Browns and went 7-4 as a starter. He has a 16-15 record as a starter in his career and led the Texans into the playoffs in 2015.
His experience in the Shanahan system and a completion percentage over 60 in each of his last two seasons make Hoyer an attractive prospect as a short-term solution at quarterback.
The transition to Shanahan’s offense will most likely be easier with Hoyer than it would have been with Kaepernick at the helm, but it is at the backup spot where the considerable improvement on the 49ers’ quarterback depth chart lies.
Last 17 games:
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) March 10, 2017
QB1: 3,783 YDS, 19 TD, 11 INT, 90.4 RATING
QB2: 4,051 YDS, 25 TD, 7 INT, 93.4 RATING
QB1: Alex Smith
QB2: Brian Hoyer
Matt Barkley was not the disaster most Bears fans expected when he replaced the injured Hoyer last season and, while his only win came against the 49ers in a blizzard, he produced creditable performances in close games with the Titans, Lions and Packers and completed a shade under 60 percent of his passes in 2016.
The number that will stick out to many is the 14 interceptions he threw, but at least Barkley showed a willingness to push the ball down the field, which is a lot more than can be said for the 49ers’ No. 2 for much of last season, Blaine Gabbert.
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Niners fans will look back at the time Gabbert started under center and shudder. It was a period marked by crippling inaccuracy on downfield throws and a general hesitation to pass the ball further than five yards, with screen passes often proving an extremely difficult task for the former first-round pick.
Those such problems do not exist with Barkley, who is more than willing to let the ball rip downfield and did so with success in 2016 despite being stuck with a cast of sub-par receivers such as Cameron Meredith and Joshua Bellamy, who did not help the signal-caller with a series of drops in the Bears’ close games.
The 49ers could yet shake things up with a rookie and they would be best advised to take at least one quarterback who they can attempt to groom in this year’s draft.
Many will believe the 49ers have not improved their starting quarterback with the addition of Hoyer. Yet, with so many offensive players coming in, it is vital to have a quarterback who can make the switch to Shanahan’s scheme as smooth as possible.
San Francisco has that in Hoyer and has a backup who can do considerably more than the 49ers’ previous reserve QB.
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Neither is a long-term solution and the introduction of a talented rookie in the quarterback room could provide interesting offseason competition but, until Shanahan can find the quarterback he wants to run the show for the foreseeable future, the 49ers head coach can be safe in the knowledge he at least has a pair of capable caretakers.