It’s time the 49ers to finally move on from C.J. Beathard

Quarterback C.J. Beathard was one of San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s first NFL Draft picks. And while Beathard is a gutsy, respect-earning signal-caller, it’s clear the Niners should move on.

In 2017, the San Francisco 49ers drafted quarterback C.J. Beathard in the third round of that year’s NFL Draft. He was one of the first draft picks under head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. That same season, Beathard started seven games and looked good enough, considering the circumstances, playing well for a rookie quarterback although he only won one game.

Then, as we all remember, Jimmy Garoppolo came in via a trade and blew Beathard out of the water, winning five straight games to close out the year.

The next season, Garoppolo tore his ACL, and Beathard took over as the starter again. Beathard then led the Niners to six straight losses and was eventually replaced by Nick Mullens, an undrafted free agent San Francisco signed the same year Beathard was drafted.

Mullens went on to have one the greatest debuts for a QB in NFL history in the Niners’ final game against the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders. This performance was so great, Twitter verified Mullens during the game.

Mullens then started the rest of the season, winning three games.

But Mullens looked good. In fact, he looked like a complete steal, considering he was an undrafted free agent. The next season, with Garoppolo set to return, Beathard and Mullens dueled in training camp for the backup quarterback job. Mullens won this battle.

At this point, most people expected the Niners to cut or trade Beathard, as conventional wisdom around the NFL is to keep only two quarterbacks on a 53-man roster. But the 49ers made a strange move, keeping Beathard throughout the season, despite rumors other teams were interested in trading for him.

Beathard did not dress for any games in 2019, but the 49ers kept him anyway. His roster spot could have been given to a player of a different position, but for some reason, the Niners held on.

Why?

Honestly, no one knows for certain. It seems like the Niners simply refuse to give up on Beathard, despite it being obvious Mullens is the more talented backup. In my opinion, this comes out of pride and stubbornness from Shanahan.

Shanahan’s pride is usually one of the best things about him as a head coach. It allows him to confidently make play calls most coaches would be terrified to make and has led to the swagger that makes him one of the NFL’s best coaches.

But in this case, his pride is standing in the way of what is best for the team.

Shanahan handpicked Beathard, and it seems like he is unwilling to admit Beathard is not who he thought he was, and it is time to move on. Beathard is currently not a starting-caliber quarterback, and he is not even the best backup the 49ers have.

The thing is, though, Beathard is still one of the more talented backup quarterbacks in the NFL. Other teams want him, they tried to trade for him last season, and there is no reason to expect they won’t try the same this offseason.

That is why it is ridiculous for the Niners not to move on from Beathard. The 49ers have zero draft picks in the second through fourth rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. Beathard could be traded for picks or other assets the Niners actually need instead of keeping a third quarterback on the roster who did not even dress last season.

It is time for the Niners to finally move on from Beathard. He’s taking up a roster spot, and while he is the worst quarterback on the Niners’ roster, he is talented enough that other teams want him. San Francisco should look to trade Beathard for some assets in this year’s draft, and it is time for Shanahan to admit Beathard is not the quarterback he thought he was.