On Oct. 28, 2018, C.J. Beathard had the 49ers set to win at Arizona, till Cardinals rookie quarterback Josh Rosen threw a go-ahead, last-minute landing move.
On Saturday, Beathard makes his first begin since then, and, in an ironic twist, Rosen shall be his backup, in, of all locations, Arizona in opposition to the host Cardinals.
The 49ers formally signed Rosen on Wednesday, having poached him off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers follow squad a day earlier. He signed a one-year deal, not a multi-year pact that may create extra intrigue.
So it’s Beathard-Rosen left on the depth chart as a result of the 49ers can’t go to Jimmy Garoppolo (cleared to follow however not play), Nick Mullens (elbow) and practice-squad veteran Josh Johnson (COVID-19 reserve listing).
Don’t get overvalued about presumably seeing Rosen, or how he’ll have a two-week audition for a 2021 function. Heck, Kyle Shanahan had Garoppolo sit a complete month earlier than letting him debut in principally freestyle style in December 2017.
No, that is Beathard’s time to point out how he’s matured in two seasons on the bench. That is his simply reward. He’s cut up follow reps with Mullens for years, unable to move him on the depth chart.
Alongside the way in which, Beathard emboldened himself in teammates’ hearts, from filling in the place wanted on the scout workforce comparable to at security, to courageously dealing with final December’s homicide of his youngest brother, Clayton.
As a lot as Shanahan and teammates respect Beathard, two areas of enchancment should be proven as he steps again beneath heart: Turnovers and pocket consciousness.
Beathard confirmed too usually his first two seasons he might take successful and get again up, all whereas going 1-9 as a bridge starter in 2017 and ’18.
“I really feel like he, in an unfair means, will get judged about what he did his first and second years within the league,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk mentioned. “It’s been some time since he’s had an opportunity to be that quarterback and have time to arrange. He’s a special participant now. He’s matured a ton.”
Extra hits are coming, from what we’ve seen from this offensive line all season. Beathard must quicken his inner clock and eliminate the ball a cut up second or two sooner than ever. In any other case, turnovers are going to be a difficulty, simply as they had been for Mullens (12 interceptions, 4 misplaced fumbles) as he went 2-6 instead of Garoppolo (26 interceptions, 5 misplaced fumbles since ’17).
Rosen suits two traits of many 49ers: He’s a former first-round draft choose (now their 15th on this roster) and he’s a turnover machine. His 11 profession touchdowns have been offset by 19 interceptions and 5 misplaced fumbles in 20 video games (16 begins).
The 49ers are Rosen’s fourth workforce in 20 months. The Cardinals, who took him No. 10 in 2018, shipped him to Miami upon drafting Kyler Murray No. 1, and the Dolphins dumped him previous to this season upon committing to first-round choose Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
May the 49ers be Rosen’s workforce in 2021? May they be Garoppolo’s, Beathard’s, and a rehabilitating Mullens’? May a veteran castoff and/or a excessive draft choose enter the image?
Theories and hypothesis will run rampant for a lot of extra months. The 49ers set the gold commonplace in quarterback controversies with Joe Montana and Steve Younger 30 years in the past. Till a 26-year Tremendous Bowl drought ends, the hunt for quarterback royalty will proceed.
Here’s a listing of 49ers quarterbacks since 2000, following Steve Younger’s retirement that June:
2000 (6-10 document)
Jeff Garcia (16)
2001 (12-Four* playoffs)
Jeff Garcia (16)
2002 (10-6*)
Jeff Garcia (16)
2003 (7-9)
Jeff Garcia (13), Tim Rattay (Three)
2004 (2-14)
Tim Rattay (9), Ken Dorsey (7)
2005 (Four-12)
Alex Smith (7), Tim Rattay (Four), Ken Dorsey(Three), Cody Pickett (2)
2006 (7-9)
Alex Smith (16)
2007 (5-11)
Alex Smith (7), Trent Dilfer (6), Shaun Hill (2), Chris Weinke (1)
2008 (7-9)
Shaun Hill (Eight), J.T. O’Sullivan (Eight)
2009 (Eight-Eight)
Alex Smith (10), Shaun Hill (6)
2010 (6-10)
Alex Smith (10), Troy Hill (6)
2011 (13-Three*)
Alex Smith (16)
2012 (11-Four-1*)
Alex Smith (9), Colin Kaepernick (7)
2013 (12-Four)
Colin Kaepernick (16)
2014 (Eight-Eight)
Colin Kaepernick (16)
2015 (5-11)
Colin Kaepernick (Eight), Blaine Gabbert (Eight)
2016 (2-14)
Colin Kaepernick (11), Blaine Gabbert (5)
2017 (6-10)
Brian Hoyer (6), C.J. Beathard (5), Jimmy Garoppolo (5)
2018 (Four-12)
Jimmy Garoppolo (Three), C.J. Beathard (5), Nick Mullens (Eight)
2019 (13-Three*)
Jimmy Garoppolo (16)
2020 (5-9, two video games left)
Jimmy Garoppolo (6), Nick Mullens (Eight); C.J. Beathard is Saturday’s scheduled starter