These 5 49ers could lose their jobs to 2022 NFL Draft picks
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers quarterback Nate Sudfeld
Oh, yes. Things could get interesting at quarterback for a number of different reasons.
Despite their efforts to trade him this offseason, veteran signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo might actually hang around, albeit as a backup to Trey Lance and on a significantly lower price tag, entering 2021. Whether it’s a wise decision or not, San Francisco doesn’t seem intent on outright releasing Garoppolo in a cap-saving, roster spot-clearing move, so that could eat up two spots on the depth chart right there.
That’d leave a third and final spot to be decided by the 49ers’ No. 3 option last year, Nate Sudfeld, and their final “Mr. Irrelevant” pick from the NFL Draft, Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy.
Read More: Why ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ Brock Purdy is actually relevant for San Francisco
Granted, Purdy has a long, long way to go to unseat Sudfeld, whose $2 million fully guaranteed deal for 2022 suggests there’s no chance.
And if Garoppolo winds up being gone by Week 1, it’ll be no matter anyway.
However, if Purdy shows himself as someone who’d offer way much more as a backup than Sudfeld, the latter could be moved even if the Niners have to swallow the cost of parting ways with him.
It’s not likely. But it is possible.