The 49ers suddenly find themselves in a position to need a veteran quarterback to help oversee Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, and these free agents may make sense.
As strange as it seems, the San Francisco 49ers may finally be able to bid farewell to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason.
At least based on what head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters at the very beginning of the Niners’ offseason.
That leaves two quarterbacks under contract heading into 2023, Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, both of whom will be competing for the starting job next season but are also dealing with some notable injuries suffered last year.
Even if both were healthy, Shanahan might want to add a veteran quarterback to mentor the two young signal-callers.
San Francisco doesn’t need a high-profile name here, and it’s very possible a quarterback added in NFL free agency doesn’t even wind up making the 53-man roster in 2023, provided both Lance and Purdy are ready to go.
That said, these four veteran quarterbacks could be added to the 49ers’ offseason roster through training camp to provide that mentorship.
And they’d likely come in on the cheap, too.
49ers free-agent quarterback No. 1: Nate Sudfeld
The Niners may deter a reunion with Garoppolo, but Nate Sudfeld will be out there after spending 2021 on San Francisco’s practice squad before being re-signed entering 2022.
Purdy’s play in the preseason ultimately pushed Sudfeld off the regular-season roster, and he subsequently signed on with the Detroit Lions for a year.
Again a free agent, Sudfeld knows Shanahan’s system and was a well-respected addition by the front office during that 2022 offseason and prior to being let go.
Granted, Sudfeld might be a bit salty after the 49ers said goodbye once, but he probably won’t have too many suitors and will surely arrive on the cheap.
49ers free agent quarterback No. 2: Gardner Minshew
Considering Brock Purdy’s recovery timeline in the wake of that elbow injury suffered in the NFC Championship game, which could hold him out until training camp, Trey Lance might be the only one available to go during offseason workouts.
And even he’s coming off a serious ankle injury.
Should either quarterback suffer a setback, the Niners would need someone capable of playing in a full-time role right away.
Why not Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback Gardner Minshew?
Granted, Minshew has merely been a backup since his days with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he did own a 37-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio during those two years there, and his dramatic flair would fit in well with the Bay Area, too.
49ers free agent quarterback No. 3: Sam Darnold
Kyle Shanahan hasn’t been known for being someone to take on reclamation projects, especially at quarterback.
So, the notion of going after a soon-to-be Carolina Panthers outcasted signal-caller like Sam Darnold doesn’t seem plausible.
Even though San Francisco was already reportedly interested once before Darnold went to Carolina, and the former first-round NFL Draft pick would certainly love to try his lot within an offensive system like that of Shanahan.
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Darnold turns 26 years old this offseason, and the 49ers could at least give him a flier in an attempt to see if there’s anything left worth salvaging.
Particularly with Darnold’s own motivation being enough to legitimately challenge both Trey Lance and Brock Purdy.
49ers free agent quarterback No. 4: Joe Flacco
Not unlike Sam Darnold, the Niners were also reportedly interested in onboarding veteran quarterback Joe Flacco two offseason ago, except he ultimately elected to stay put with the New York Jets.
Having just turned 38 years old, Flacco is well beyond that point of being a long-term answer anywhere, although it’s unclear what the Jets will even do with their own shaky quarterbacking situation.
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That said, Flacco is well-traveled enough, has a Super Bowl ring that San Francisco fans would rather forget about and could serve as that veteran presence in support of both Trey Lance and Brock Purdy.
Granted, Flacco would understand the context and knows he’d be the odd man out if both Lance and Purdy develop and play well enough into the preseason.
However, if no other team is calling, he might be the option the 49ers pursue.