5 quarterback options for SF 49ers in wake of Matt Stafford trade

SF 49ers Option No. 4: Sam Darnold

While the Niners are a year removed from a Super Bowl, all those potential free-agent losses mean there’s a lot more work to be done, and the stronger reality is a legitimate championship contender is probably at least another year away now.

San Francisco knows this and could end up treating 2021 as a retooling year, which could still involve moving on from Jimmy Garoppolo.

With a limited array of options elsewhere, however, the SF 49ers may have to settle on a reclamation project like the NY Jets’ Sam Darnold.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who just left his role as the Niners defensive coordinator, hasn’t fully committed to Darnold. It makes sense. After all, Gang Green owns the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, which is laden with top-end quarterbacking talent.

Darnold, who hasn’t exactly benefited from good offenses or head coaching, could get a revitalization of his otherwise scuffling career in a much better context. And unlike some of the other trade targets potentially out there this season, it likely wouldn’t take much for San Francisco to make a move from him.

Especially if Saleh is in a modest mood to assist his former team while freeing up his quarterback room this offseason.