49ers: 5 best options to back up Jimmy Garoppolo in 2021

The San Francisco 49ers are in the market for a backup quarterback to help Jimmy Garoppolo, and here are five players who could fill the need.

With San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch giving his stamp of approval for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, we can all look forward to free agency and the need to shore up the backup spot behind Jimmy G.

Even if the Niners were to trade for or draft someone else, the need for a reliever to win more than three games is apparent.

In the NFL, the backup quarterback isn’t usually important. If your starter can stay healthy and win 11-plus games a year, the reserve option becomes “Mr. Irrelevant.” But with San Francisco’s luck, Mr. Irrelevant needs to be somewhat relevant.

The 49ers haven’t had a solid backup since Colin Kaepernick took the team to the Super Bowl in 2012. Before that? Steve Young in the 1990s.

Over the years, we’ve seen how valuable the clipboard holder can be. Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Tom Brady began his career second in line to the New England Patriots’ former starter, Drew Bledsoe, and turned out a solid career for himself to put things lightly. Former St. Louis Rams backup Kurt Warner also turned in a solid performance, which included winning the Super Bowl after being second in command for the 1999 season.

Here’s the situation for the 49ers, though: You don’t want to overspend on this position. Niner Noise’s Akshaj Dwivedula provides details on those two options the team has for its backup.

With the Arizona Cardinals signing EDGE J.J. Watt, the NFC West just became a huge tossed salad.

If the 49ers want to stay in the bowl, they’ll need to look at these five quarterbacks for insurance.