Why the 49ers Have to Upgrade at Quarterback This Offseason
Since Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch kicked off their era with the San Francisco 49ers, they have passed on quality quarterbacks.
Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, and most recently Tom Brady last offseason. It is not like the 49ers missed out on these guys. They said no to these players all to hope for Kirk Cousins, but ended up with Jimmy Garoppolo.
For a while, Garoppolo looked like a pretty sweet acquisition mainly because of his unknown. Potential seemed to be there with him. Unfortunately, before you can even talk about his talent, his health does not allow him to show it. Garoppolo is an injury prone player. That is the sad reality the 49ers are in with him right now. And even when he does take the field, Kyle Shanahan has to do so much to ensure Garoppolo does not ruin the game. This is why Garoppolo's future with the team is highly questionable.
And with so many disgruntled veteran quarterbacks out there along with the draft, there is no better time for the 49ers to look to improve the position. This is why the 49ers have to upgrade at quarterback this offseason. All the pieces are falling into place with the potential to add someone like Matthew Stafford, who the 49ers have the reported "inside edge" with.
Whether they get Stafford or not, there are a lot of moving pieces going on with quarterback this offseason. Trades, free agency, and of course the draft. But it is more than just the available options out there to upgrade at quarterback. It is about the 49ers' own incentives to upgrade. They can cut their losses with Garoppolo and save $24 million before June 1. That money can be used to re-sign Trent Williams and another key player expected to hit free agency.
Losing Williams and maybe even Jason Verrett is not worth retaining Garoppolo.
It would be more of a debate if Garoppolo could prove to stay on the field, but he is just too much of a variable. The 49ers' Super Bowl window is still alive, but after 2020 it has certainly shrunk. They essentially wasted the season given the amount of key players and coaches they have/will lose.
Shanahan and Lynch have blown way too many opportunities to solidify the quarterback position. After the season they had, upgrading has to be their priority. They can't keep depending on Garoppolo.
His time is likely up.
