Over the offseason, we break down each of the San Francisco 49ers\u2019 position groups for the upcoming 2018 NFL season. In this edition, we break down a group that\u2019s nearly set in stone \u2014 the Niners\u2019 quarterbacks.<\/h3>\n

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This is the second edition of our 49ers 2018 offseason positional breakdowns. Check out the first edition \u2014 covering the 49ers\u2019 intense competition at running back \u2014 here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 2018, the San Francisco 49ers are slated to spend 40 percent more<\/a> at the quarterback position than any other team in the NFL \u2014 and this was by design, given the team\u2019s excess cap space situation at the conclusion of the 2017 NFL season. With the vast majority of the Niners\u2019 spending going to a single player \u2013 quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo<\/a> \u2014 there\u2019s no question who will start under center for the team this season. We also know who Garoppolo\u2019s backup will be \u2014 QB C.J. Beathard<\/a> \u2014 given the draft capital general manager John Lynch<\/a> and head coach Kyle Shanahan spent on the second-year player. While the 49ers are nearly assured to begin the season with just two quarterbacks on the roster, one more QB will make the team\u2019s practice squad, and that spot is up for grabs. Let\u2019s take a look at each of the team\u2019s quarterbacks, beginning with the San Francisco 49ers\u2019 new franchise QB:<\/p>\n

QB Jimmy Garoppolo<\/h3>\n

Everything changed for the San Francisco 49ers\u2019 franchise when Lynch traded for Garoppolo. The addition of the former New England Patriots quarterback threw the 49ers\u2019 rebuild into overdrive, instantly transforming the team from one of the NFL\u2019s worst to a legitimate playoff contender. Garoppolo\u2019s play and leadership during his five straight wins earned him a lucrative five-year contract that briefly made him the highest-paid player<\/a>\u00a0in the NFL. \u201cThe Jimmy Garoppolo Effect\u201d was felt by the previously one-win team, as Garoppolo\u2019s Niners led the league in yards-per-drive<\/a>, points-per-drive<\/a> and scoring percentage<\/a>. Garoppolo is the new face of the 49ers\u2019 franchise, and a player who will hopefully provide highlights<\/a> for years to come.<\/p>\n

QB C.J. Beathard<\/h3>\n

Beathard\u2019s rookie season was a disappointment after Shanahan pushed Lynch to trade up in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft to select the former University of Iowa quarterback. Beathard wasn\u2019t an obvious improvement over veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer<\/a>, who was winless when Shanahan finally decided to give the rookie a chance at the 49ers\u2019 starting QB job during a Week-6 loss to the Washington Redskins. Unfortunately for Beathard, the Niners suffered blowout losses in each of the next two games, and then the team traded for Garoppolo. Outside of his lone victory over the New York Giants, Beathard had a difficult time sustaining drives, leading his team on just three touchdown drives in his other four starts. Beathard finished the season with a quarterback rating just under 70, but the rookie also showed flashes of competent play. With a price tag under $1 million in each of the next two seasons, Beathard is the team\u2019s short-term solution for Garoppolo\u2019s backup spot, but the quarterback will need to show improvement over the next two years if he expects to finish his rookie contract with the team.<\/p>\n

QB Nick Mullens<\/h3>\n

Second-year quarterback Nick Mullens<\/a> spent the 2017 season on the 49ers\u2019 practice squad, after the team signed the QB as an undrafted free agent. Before signing with the Niners, Mullens was a productive college quarterback<\/a> at Southern Mississippi, but his small frame and sub-par arm strength will likely preclude him from having a long-term career in the league. However, the 49ers\u2019 coaching staff was happy with Mullens last season, and given his knowledge of Shanahan\u2019s system and his year of experience with the team, Mullens is the front-runner for the job, and should be the second quarterback off the bench when preseason games begin.<\/p>\n

QB Jack Heneghan<\/h3>\n

Rookie quarterback Jack Heneghan will look to unseat Mullens for the role of 49ers practice squad quarterback. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Heneghan is a more prototypical NFL-sized quarterback than the 6-foot-1, 187-pound Mullens; however, Heneghan\u00a0was less productive<\/a>\u00a0in his two years as Dartmouth\u2019s starting QB. The 49ers liked what they saw from Heneghan during his local Pro Day workout<\/a>, although the quarterback is certainly viewed as a long-term developmental project. Heneghan will see playing time this preseason \u2014 particularly in the 49ers\u2019 final preseason game \u2014 where he\u2019ll be fighting for a spot on the 49ers\u2019 practice squad, and a potential future in the NFL.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over the offseason, we break down each of the San […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":3946698,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_meta":""},"categories":[3,56],"tags":[475,536,483,535,429],"yoast_head":"\n