SF 49ers: Blueprint to a successful 2021 season

No. 1: Figure out the SF 49ers Quarterback Situation

It’s hard to fathom the SF 49ers front office may need to broach this subject after playing in the Super Bowl last February.

Yet here we are, with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo still an unknown entity.

Even with his struggles this season, it’s still a challenge to figure out exactly what they have in him due to his and the team’s injuries. Coming off a season that saw him throw for 3,978 yards with 27 touchdowns,13 interceptions, and completing 69.1 percent of his throws, the hope was he would improve upon those numbers as he became more familiar and comfortable with Kyle Shanahan’s system.

San Francisco 49ers

And then the injuries occurred, derailing the ability to evaluate Garoppolo’s merit as a franchise signal-caller.

The high-ankle sprain he suffered can affect a QB’s mechanics and his inability to plant properly, causing erratic throws and loss of velocity. And while that does not completely explain away his unease in the pocket, the lack of consistency due to the injuries to most of his receivers, tight ends, and offensive linemen certainly has contributed to his play as well.

Garoppolo will go into the offseason with the team owing him no more guaranteed money, and he could effectively leave with only a $2.8 million cap hit as opposed to the team bringing him back next season at $24.1 million.

This is the decision that will impact the franchise’s immediate and long-term success. In fact, it could very well be the defining moment of the Lynch-Shanahan era in San Francisco.

To his credit, Lynch seems confident in Jimmy G’s immediate future with the team, telling KNBR’s Murph and Mac Show:

"We’re a better football team when he’s out there. We win a lot of games when he’s out there, we’ve struggled to win without him. People can try and pick his game apart. I do believe a lot of this year, Jimmy probably hasn’t played up to his standard. I think a lot of that, he’s been somewhat compromised with his health since he had that high ankle in the New York Jets game. Think about prior to the ankle injury in that game, I believe he was 12-of-14, he was our player of the game. We have a lot of belief in Jimmy."

Now this all could be a smokescreen, or it could be Lynch speaking truthfully about how they feel about Garoppolo. Either way, the front office will need to figure it all out. With Jimmy G potentially out for the remainder of the year, No. 2 quarterback Nick Mullens will have plenty of opportunities to show the organization what he brings to the table, be that as a capable backup or starter material.

My hunch is that Mullens is little more than a capable backup, but time will tell.

If the SF 49ers bring Jimmy G back, it does not necessarily preclude them from drafting a quarterback. A lot could happen between now and the 2021 NFL Draft as far as quarterbacks rising or falling in the draft process, but there could be a guy Lynch and Shanahan covet as the future franchise QB.

Unless they were to lose the remainder of their games and somehow sneak into the top 10 picks of the draft, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields will probably be off the board by the time they pick. Perhaps BYU’s Zach Wilson, Trey Lance from North Dakota State, Florida’s Kyle Trask, or Alabama’s Mac Jones could be tabbed as their future franchise guy.

If they did decide to move on from Garoppolo, Mullens could be the place holder while they groom their draft pick, or they could make a run at a veteran free-agent quarterback or one who may become available this offseason.

Dak Prescott could be available if he decides to become a free agent rather than re-sign with the Dallas Cowboys. Other options may include the Minnesota Vikings’ Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan, Washington’s Alex Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Miami Dolphins, or Sam Darnold of the NY Jets, if the Niners decide to move on from Garoppolo in favor of Lawrence or Fields.

The prevailing thought is always that if you decide to move on from a productive quarterback, you must have a better option available to replace him.

Regardless of how the season plays out for the SF 49ers, there is little doubt that there will be major changes to this roster before the start of the 2021 season.

Lynch is facing some tough decisions this offseason, and those decisions will dramatically shape the future of the SF49ers organization. The 49er Faithful mantra will surely be tested.