San Francisco 49ers: Breaking down the quarterback depth chart for 2018

QB No. 2: C.J. Beathard

2017 rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard sure took his share of licks last year.

Beathard’s 54.9 completion percentage and 69.2 passer rating both ranked 31st out of 32 qualifiers last year, and it’s pretty easy to note how much the 49ers offense struggled with him under center.

It’s not a shock, really, as Iowa’s offense was pretty simplistic in 2016, compared to the complexity from that of Kyle Shanahan’s system. Plus, rookie signal-callers thrown into the fray amid a less-than-stellar supporting cast rarely perform well.

Had it not been for Jimmy Garoppolo, Beathard likely would have finished last year as the Niners’ starter.

That said, at least San Francisco knows it has a decent backup option with practical on-field NFL experience behind it’s No. 1 prized possession.

If all goes right for the 49ers this season, Beathard won’t see any meaningful snaps. Over the long run, the Niners hope to develop Beathard into a tradeable asset. General manager John Lynch, speaking via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, stated such earlier this month:

"My message to him, ‘Become the next Jimmy Garoppolo. You keep playing well and good things will happen for you, and he understands that. C.J. was playing well in our minds and was improving each and every week. C.J. has handled [being relegated to a backup] tremendously well with a tremendous amount of class. It’s motivated him to become even better and continue working on his craft. We love his makeup and what he’s all about."

So, what about a third quarterbacking spot?