SF 49ers must call these 4 free-agent QBs after Jimmy Garoppolo injury

The SF 49ers are likely to be without Jimmy Garoppolo for the rest of 2020, prompting the need to call some free-agent quarterbacks.

Losing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for an extensive period of time wasn’t what the SF 49ers envisioned halfway through their 2020 campaign.

Such as it is, though, that’s the likely reality of it after Garoppolo re-aggravated the high-ankle sprain suffered back in Week 2 against the NY Jets. This time, the Seattle Seahawks were the primary culprit, forcing Jimmy G once again to exit the field prematurely and give way to his primary backup, Nick Mullens.

On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported both Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle (foot) were likely to miss six-plus weeks, effectively ending both players’ seasons and putting yet more strain on the 4-4 Niners to figure out which direction they go from here.

Mullens is going to be the starter from this point forward, barring a complete meltdown and head coach Kyle Shanahan inserting No. 3 quarterback C.J. Beathard into the mix.

Even with that the case, though, the pandemic-altered season essentially mandates the SF 49ers keeping three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, so it makes sense Shanahan and general manager John Lynch are going to pick up the phone to call some still-available free-agent signal-callers.

Of which there are few.

Complicating the matter is the fact Over the Cap has San Francisco at just over $4.2 million in available cap space, meaning any free-agent pickup can’t be of the expensive variety. Not like that matters much to those quarterbacks who are still unemployed halfway through the season, but it’s something the 49ers must consider nonetheless.

Here are four Lynch, Shanahan and the SF 49ers need to look at and call in the wake of Garoppolo going down.