SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 30: A San Francisco 49ers helmet on the sidelines during their preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi's Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)The San Francisco 49ers need to add depth at the quarterback position after placing Jimmy Garoppolo on the injured reserve. It looks like Kyle Shanahan will do so by signing veteran Josh Johnson to the practice squad.
Shanahan announced on Friday the 49ers plan to sign Johnson to their practice squad next week, per 49ers reporter Matt Barrows. San Francisco is hoping Johnson can be available to participate in practice by next Wednesday.
Shanahan confirms that the plan is to sign QB Josh Johnson to the practice squad. The hope is that he'd be able to take part in Wednesday's practice.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) November 6, 2020
Nick Mullens figures to continue to be the starter with Garoppolo out with a high ankle sprain. The 49ers also have CJ Beathard, and now plan to add Johnson for depth purposes.
Shanahan said Nick Mullens is still the starting QB. He said Josh Johnson would go on the practice squad.
Jimmy Garoppolo hasn't been recommended for surgery. Shanahan is hopeful he returns in 4-6 weeks.
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) November 6, 2020
As expected, the conspiracy theories are running wild regarding the 49ers’ current quarterback situation. Is there more reason to believe the Niners are moving from Jimmy Garoppolo next season because of the signing of Josh Johnson?
That’s not to suggest Johnson will eventually be the 49ers’ starting quarterback. He hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2018 season. But he is more of a mobile quarterback, a skill-set Kyle Shanahan quarterbacks don’t typically have. Perhaps the Johnson signing could be a sign of what’s to come from the Niners in coming years.
Plenty of San Francisco fans are hoping the team will use its 2021 first-round pick on a quarterback. Quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields won’t be available unless the Niners trade up and obtain one of the first three picks in the 2021 NFL Draft.
But more mobile quarterbacks, like North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and BYU’s Zach Wilson, could be targets for the 49ers in next year’s draft.
It’ll be an interesting few months for the 49ers as they sort out their quarterback situation.
