The 49ers likely ink an experienced backup quarterback this offseason to support Brock Purdy, and one of these five would make sense.
The San Francisco 49ers' quarterback room is going to look notably different in 2025 than it did last season.
Behind the clear-cut starter, Brock Purdy, the Niners are poised to lose their two backups, Joshua Dobbs and Brandon Allen, to the free-agent market. The scuttlebutt has Dobbs wanting a change in scenery after feeling disrespected by the franchise for being named the No. 3 option on the depth chart behind Allen.
San Francisco has another quarterback on its full roster, 2024 undrafted free-agent Tanner Mordecai, who spent his rookie season on the practice squad.
While Mordecai has some promise, the 49ers will likely bring in a veteran to serve as Purdy's primary backup and as a next-level mentor.
Grabbing one of these five makes sense.
No. 1: Joe Flacco
For the last five years, Joe Flacco has admirably served the role as a backup signal-caller, most recently playing for the Indianapolis Colts where he started six games and completed 65.3 percent of his passes with a 90.5 passer rating.
At 40 years old, Flacco is no more than a stopgap option until someone like Mordecai develops into a true No. 2. But, considering the experience level, it'd be hard to find someone else who has seen more than Flacco.
He has a Super Bowl ring (we won't discuss that matter any further) and displayed an ability to be effective in a talent-strapped Indy offense last season, which is more than enough to qualify for the job.
No. 2: Andy Dalton
Editor's update: Andy Dalton signed a two-year extension to stay with the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Like Flacco, Andy Dalton has long since seen his days as a starting quarterback pass him by, and he's been a typical journeyman since his heyday years with the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2010s.
At 37 years old, Dalton would be as cheap an option as Flacco on the open market, likely looking to just extend his NFL career a little longer.
Having spent the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Dalton started six games over that stretch but had very little success leading one of the poorer offensive rosters in football, tossing nine touchdowns against six interceptions between 2023 and 2024.
As a mentor, though, Dalton fits the bill.
No. 3: Mac Jones
Remember back in 2021 when the Niners were regularly tied to Alabama quarterback Mac Jones entering the NFL Draft, particularly after trading up to No. 3 overall?
For all his doubters, Jones did appear to be a perfect fit for head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, so the notion of grabbing a signal-caller who won't be asked to do too much outside of the system does carry some weight.
Especially if Jones wants to resurrect his otherwise floundering career that hasn't exactly given him the best context.
It wouldn't be unlike what now-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold did after his one-year stint with San Francisco in 2023.
No. 4: Carson Wentz
Carson Wentz has been something of a thorn (albeit a small one) in the 49ers' side in recent years, beating the red and gold back with the Indianapolis Colts in 2021 and then again with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 before winning an AFC title with the Kansas City Chiefs last season.
Absorbing knowledge from KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid is never a bad thing, and Wentz could easily hand that over to Purdy for his own maturation purposes.
No. 5: Nick Mullens
Rewind to 2018 when a relatively unheard-of Nick Mullens was tossed into the spotlight for a Thursday Night Football game against the Oakland Raiders and put on quite the show after the Niners already lost the two quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart to injury.
That cemented Mullens as a nice feel-good story, an undrafted free agent who made the most of his opportunities and enjoyed a brief window of fame in the process.
Having spent the last three seasons with the Vikings, Mullens is still quite familiar with a Shanahan-type offense. While he never possessed the arm strength and athleticism necessary to be a full-time starter, Shanahan regularly credited Mullens with excellent football IQ and processing skills.
A reunion with San Francisco certainly can't be ruled out.