San Francisco 49ers won’t name quarterback for Week 1 yet

The San Francisco 49ers aren’t naming a starting quarterback yet, but all signs point to Jimmy Garoppolo come Week 1.

Kyle Shanahan doesn’t mind quarterback drama. This offseason has been a master class in proving it.

Throughout the pre-draft process, the San Francisco 49ers head coach had many believing his team was going to select Alabama’s Mac Jones with the No. 3 overall pick — which San Francisco traded multiple first-round choices to receive — before ultimately landing Trey Lance from North Dakota State.

Now, with the regular season a little more than two weeks away, Shanahan is once again refusing to publicly commit to a quarterback. On Wednesday, the head coach was asked by the media who his starter will be when the 49ers visit the Detroit Lions on Sept. 12. Shanahan refused to say, with his secrecy perhaps keeping Detroit from having an edge. Per NFL.com:

“I look at it more as what do you gain by naming it? If there would be one reason I can think of by naming it that would help it’d be to end those questions. If you could give me another reason that it’s a big advantage that helps our team, affects anything that has to do with us then I will name it. But I don’t think it does. And you know, why tell people? I know you guys want an answer, which is fine. I get the suspense of it, but I’m not just going to answer it to end your guys’ suspense.”

While Shanahan can stay quiet, his actions lead one to believe it’ll be Jimmy Garoppolo starting to begin the season. The veteran has been getting almost all the reps in training camp with the starters, and has started both preseason games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.

Although it’s possible Shanahan is going through a master plan to throw teams off the proverbial scent, no coach would deliberately give a rookie this tough of a beginning to his career. Especially since Lance, who has played one game since the end of 2019 due to COVID shortening North Dakota’s State season to a single contest, has taken virtually no snaps with the starters.

Garoppolo, whether due to injury or ineffectiveness, might be replaced before the season is over in San Francisco,  but smart money says he’s under center in Motown in a few weeks.