Niner Noise
FanSided

49ers won’t select a quarterback in 2020 NFL Draft, right?

By Peter Panacy

BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Mason Fine #6 of the North Texas Mean Green drops back to pass against the California Golden Bears during the first quarter of their NCAA football game at California Memorial Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Mason Fine #6 of the North Texas Mean Green drops back to pass against the California Golden Bears during the first quarter of their NCAA football game at California Memorial Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

While it seems odd to think the San Francisco 49ers would actually take a quarterback late in the 2020 NFL Draft, there’s some evidence to suggest they could.

Last year, the San Francisco 49ers were one of only a handful of teams to keep three pure quarterbacks on their regular-season 53-man roster: Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard.

At the time, it seemed a bit much, considering that extra roster spot could have been used to help alleviate one of the many injuries the Niners dealt with over the course of the season and into the playoffs.

Yet head coach Kyle Shanahan was adamant about not parting ways with one of his backups, and so the three stuck around.

It looks to be the case again this year. After all, San Francisco reportedly turned down multiple trade offers for Mullens during the offseason. And while that landscape could change at some point during the 2020 NFL Draft, it’s looking like the same three will be on the roster again come training camp later this summer.

Speaking of the draft, it seems like a no-brainer the 49ers will use one of their five day-three selections on any other position than a quarterback, right? There’s no need.

Yet there are some signs the Niners could be leaning in this direction.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported San Francisco met with North Texas’ Mason Fine recently, who at best projects to be a sixth- or seventh-round NFL Draft target.

Granted, there’s the age-old adage teams should draft a quarterback each and every year regardless of the need, but there’s more to suggest the 49ers might actually consider someone to groom within head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

Particularly with the new CBA allowing teams to place eligible players on the practice squad without subjecting them to waiver claims right away.

Back to the Niners’ own options. Beathard, who owns a 1-9 regular-season record and was inactive for all 16 games last season, has essentially zero trade value and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021. Don’t bank on San Francisco re-signing him. Mullens, meanwhile, will be a restricted free agent in 2021 and could easily receive a second-round tender to prevent another team from grabbing him on the open market. The 49ers may want to take advantage of that situation, similar to how the New England Patriots moved Garoppolo, a pure backup up to that point, to the Niners in 2017.

The simple situation is this: A year from now, both Beathard and Mullens could be elsewhere, leaving San Francisco with zero on-roster options to back up Garoppolo.

Next. 49ers 7-round trade-heavy mock 2020 NFL Draft. dark

Considering the complexity of Shanahan’s offense, as well as the time it takes to learn it, the 49ers could be putting in the contingency plans in place in this year’s NFL Draft instead of neglecting the eventual needs until it’s potentially too late.

So, yes. They could select a quarterback when the draft kicks off later this month.