49ers’ 2018 ‘Who Is?’ series: Quarterback C.J. Beathard
By Peter Panacy
Niner Noise takes a look at the San Francisco 49ers’ No. 2 quarterback, C.J. Beathard, and his role for 2018 in our annual “Who Is?” series on offseason roster players.
Backup quarterbacks can be just as crucial pieces to an NFL roster as starters. And if you’re in doubt on that notion, just take a look at Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles and the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Who knows if the San Francisco 49ers ever run across this situation anytime soon. But if they do, and budding-star quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo goes down — knock on wood he won’t — anytime soon, they’ll all but assuredly turn their attention to their No. 2 QB, C.J. Beathard.
Beathard was a bit of a surprise pick in Round 3 of the 2017 NFL Draft. Many, including NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, pegged the former Iowa prospect a sixth- or even seventh-round pick.
Did the Niners reach? Probably. But I recall reading Beathard was the only quarterback head coach Kyle Shanahan wanted out of the 2017 draft class.
Beathard flashed some moments during the preseason and finally got a chance to start during the 49ers’ frustrating first half of last season, taking over for an ineffective Brian Hoyer in Week 6.
As for the numbers Beathard put up? Well, they weren’t particularly inspiring:
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/11/2018.
His 54.9 completion percentage ranked 31st out of 32 qualifying quarterbacks last year. Same with his 69.2 passer rating.
To be fair, though, Beathard was thrown into the fray with a sub-par supporting cast. And he was coming from a relatively simple offense at Iowa to a highly complex system under Shanahan.
Then, at the 2017 NFL trade deadline, the 49ers picked up Garoppolo. Despite Beathard winning his first game in Week 10 against the New York Giants, a late-game leg injury two weeks later forced Garoppolo into the starter’s role.
San Francisco 49ers
You know what happened from there.
Why C.J. Beathard Improves in 2018
Beathard’s rookie season was rough, yes. But you have to take the entire context of the situation into consideration.
San Francisco’s roster, while vastly overhauled from the 2-14 bunch from the previous year, was still lacking. Players were still learning Shanahan’s offense. Drops were an issue — the 49ers had 37 total, fourth most in the league last year — and the overall fluidity of the offense was problematic at best.
Players often make their biggest leap in ability from years one to two. Beathard can pin hopes on this, having a full year to digest the offense and develop chemistry with his receiving weapons.
Plus, it’s hard to overlook Beathard’s toughness. Sure, he took a total of 19 sacks and countless hits last season. But he largely played through it, earning respect not just from his own teammates and coaches, but from others around the league too.
Such as former Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, who said after the Niners hosted their division rivals last November:
"I thought we should have had more. That was a beat-up offensive line. God bless Beathard. He’s tough as nails and stood in there and threw the ball, because we hit him a bunch."
Why He Regresses
It’s going to be hard to be as bad, statistically, as Beathard was last season. But while the rest of the 49ers offense has made strides in the right direction, Beathard could remain on a level trajectory.
Or, perhaps, get even worse.
Pocket awareness was never one of Beathard’s strengths. Being tough is one thing, but it’s another to be able to avoid pressure and the subsequent sacks and hits a quarterback may take. The ones who avoid contact or, at least, thrive under pressure typically have the most success at the pro level.
A year ago, Pro Football Focus recorded Beathard’s passer rating at 42.3 when under pressure, ranking 35th out of 40 qualifiers.
It was a fairly common sight, watching Beathard literally run into a sack or not sensing the pressure at all:
So, if there’s one thing Beathard needs to improve or we should worry about, it’s his pocket awareness.
Beathard’s Expected Role with the 49ers in 2018
San Francisco general manager John Lynch made overtures he’d like Beathard to “become the next” Garoppolo.
What exactly does this mean?
Well, like Garoppolo, who sat under New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady only to find his way into a star starting role, it’s not hard to understand an eventual Niners desire to trade off a fully developed quarterback at a high price.
This season, though, the 49ers will look to Beathard to hone his craft.
Next: 49ers' early 53-man roster predictions for 2018
All the while hoping they’ll never have to use him, aside from garbage time, in a regular-season game.