Niner Noise
FanSided

How the 49ers are affected by the 2018 quarterback landscape post free agency

By Peter Panacy

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 15: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins looks to pass in the first quarter of a game against the San Francisco 49ers at FedEx Field on October 15, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 15: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins looks to pass in the first quarter of a game against the San Francisco 49ers at FedEx Field on October 15, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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BUFFALO, NY – OCTOBER 16: Tyrod Taylor #5 of the Buffalo Bills is chased by Eli Harold #58 of the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at New Era Field on October 16, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY – OCTOBER 16: Tyrod Taylor #5 of the Buffalo Bills is chased by Eli Harold #58 of the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at New Era Field on October 16, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

NFL free agency hasn’t officially started yet, but the San Francisco 49ers’ future plans have already been altered by the ever-changing quarterback landscape for 2018. Let’s break down how.

The San Francisco 49ers are still in a pretty good position at No. 9 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, with regards to quarterbacks and the teams needing to grab one this offseason.

But with free agency set to begin today, the quarterback landscape has shifted enough to have some effect on the Niners’ draft and offseason plans.

All this started off, of course, with San Francisco landing Jimmy Garoppolo prior to the NFL trade deadline last year. With his subsequent five-year extension, the 49ers aren’t a team worrying about its quarterbacking situation heading into 2018.

Quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins shook things up, as it freed up fellow QB Kirk Cousins to the free-agent market.

Cousins appears all but poised to join the Minnesota Vikings this season. Barring any snags, of course. And that’s about the best thing San Francisco could have hoped for.

Why? Well, let’s get into that and how all the other free-agent deals and trades affect the red and gold.