49ers’ draft boosts Super Bowl confidence, but quarterback drama looms
No matter how the 49ers' nine-man draft class pans out, the franchise's immediate direction still revolves around how their quarterback situation unfolds this fall.
SANTA CLARA — Kyle Shanahan was asked the inevitable, just before he could escape his post-draft press conference Sunday: What about those 49ers’ quarterbacks?
No matter how the roster improves with a nine-man draft class, championship hopes here — and anywhere in the NFL — essentially hinge on the quarterback. Or, quarterbacks, in the 49ers’ case.
Shanahan did not flinch Saturday at the perpetual state of uncertainty that revolves around QB1, or even Nos. 2-3-4.
All is well. Remain calm. Hut-hut-hike.
Come Monday morning, Shanahan and his coaches can hit the practice field with their quarterbacks, although Brock Purdy won’t be among those throwing, since he’s not quite two months into his six-month elbow recovery.
“We’ll be alright, though, in the offseason and when we get to training camp,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully we’ll get Brock back soon. Regardless, we’d love a fourth guy here. You never know how much you’ll end up doing in OTA sessions.”
The 49ers did not draft a quarterback to ease the workload for Trey Lance and Sam Darnold in the offseason program. A free agent, either from the undrafted or veteran ranks, figures to soon sign as QB4.
The key here is that Lance can fully partake in his duties.
Lance’s right ankle is fully cleared from the fracture, dislocation and two surgical procedures after getting wrecked in the Sept. 18 home opener.
“He’s been out there throwing and doing everything,” general manager John Lynch said.
This was not a sales pitch, not after speculation in recent months that the 49ers want to trade Lance. Sure, they might change their tune in a few months, once Purdy is healthy enough and reclaims Shanahan’s starter role, but, for now, the 49ers need Lance, and they need Darnold.
What this past week’s draft illustrated is they sure don’t think they need too much polish on their roster.
They needed a kicker, so they took the draft’s first one, Jake Moody out of Michigan. The 49ers’ last Super Bowl-winning team won with a third-round rookie kicker in Doug Brien, so maybe casting that magic spell again will snap their title drought.
They entered with 11 picks and emerged with nine selections, plus a handful of undrafted free agents, one or two of whom usually stand a chance, but probably not with this roster.
“It was so nice going into the draft this year that we didn’t feel like we had to find a starter at any position, except kicker,” Shanahan said.
Rather than regale you with all the flowery praise those nine new Niners received from team brass, let’s quickly flip back to quarterbacks.
How, pray tell, will they better protect their quarterbacks?
Four got hurt over the course of last season. They were, in truly descending order: Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, Purdy, and QB4 Josh Johnson, with the latter hurt in the NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, who, by the way, loaded up on more defensive war horses in the draft.
The 49ers did not draft a single offensive lineman. They’ve only drafted seven in seven years, anyhow. They didn’t have first- or second-round picks, where seven teams swooped in for offensive tackles.
“Just getting an O-lineman to start in this league is really tough,” Shanahan said, “especially how different playing in the league is than college, and the lack of preparation we get with how OTAs are this year, how much shorter training camp is. But you can win with Colton.”
They believe Colton McKivitz is ready to take over at right tackle, after three years of grooming in a pinch-hit role.
Purdy got hurt when an Eagles’ pass rusher, Haason Reddick, raced around the 49ers’ right flank, but he did so by speeding past backup tight end Tyler Kroft, who was not re-signed this year.
To bolster their tight end blockade, the 49ers drafted a pair of projects: Cameron Latu (Alabama, third round) and Brayden Willis (seventh round, Oklahoma). Both worship George Kittle’s all-around dominance, as Willis said: “I can’t think of a greater mentor for me and my playing style.”
While the draft unfolded from its Kansas City hub, Purdy was nearby doling out free hamburgers as a chain restaurant’s pitchman — a year removed from his draft-ending selection as Mr. Irrelevant. Imagine how much greater his endorsement would be if only he had avoided injury, escaped the Eagles’ pass rush and followed a script of a fairy tale ending last season.
Purdy showed enough and won enough as a rookie to stifle any regrets about the 49ers not taking another late-round flier on a quarterback. (UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson had the 49ers’ interest, and he went early in the fifth round to the Cleveland Browns.)
Defensively, the 49ers got reinforcements in the draft for first-year coordinator Steve Wilks, with his input seemingly valued as much as scouts’.
Two linebackers — Dee Winters and Jalen Graham — were added to a corps behind the NFL’s best tandem of Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
Their defensive front picked up a quick-burst pass rusher in Robert Beal Jr. from two-time national champion Georgia, and he’ll be looking for scraps in a unit led by Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave, this offseason’s biggest prize via free agency.
The secondary may have found a sleeper in fifth-round cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., but it was Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown who enticed the 49ers to jump up to No. 87 overall in the third round.
Once again, the 49ers know their defensive machine will only help their offense, regardless of Purdy’s health, Lance’s resiliency and Darnold’s third tour stop.
Not one of the 49ers’ nine draft picks mentioned any quarterback’s name. Nor did Shanahan or Lynch, until that final question came their way Saturday afternoon.