4 reasons why 49ers are Super Bowl contenders in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers will get better quarterbacking in 2021
It doesn’t matter here if you’re in quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo‘s camp or that of the rookie looking to unseat him as a starter, Trey Lance.
Whoever winds up starting for San Francisco is going to be the hot storyline between now and Week 1 of the regular season, probably stretching well into the year, too. But that’s not the point.
Instead, the point is the 49ers will get better quarterback play in 2021 than they did a year ago.
It’s not too hard to figure this out. Last year, after Garoppolo was sidelined for all but six games because of injuries, the Niners were forced to rely upon his two backups, Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard, to shoulder the load.
Needless to say, the results weren’t desirable, and San Francisco won only three games between its two reserve signal-callers.
Even though Garoppolo has his limitations, 2019 was proof enough the 49ers can win with him if the roster around him is built well enough.
More on that in a second, but it’s also safe enough to say Lance would offer much more right now than either Mullens or Beathard could have at any point during their respective careers, too.
Simply put, good quarterbacking is almost always required for teams to reach the Super Bowl, and the Niners should receive it regardless of who starts under center, Garoppolo or Lance.