If you're not reading Matt Barrows' weekly mailbag columns for The Athletic, you are missing out. They are chock-full of interesting information.
One response from his latest mailbag tackled the topic of Josh Rosen's future with the team. Most assume the former first-round pick is just a placeholder for these last two games as the team needed a backup for C.J. Beathard due to no other 49ers quarterbacks being available. Nick Mullens suffered a season-ending elbow injury, Josh Johnson is on the COVID-19 list, and Jimmy Garoppolo isn't quite ready to make his return.
San Francisco needed a body.
"And then Josh ended up that he wanted to come. It was great," Shanahan said on Thursday. "So, we haven't thought much past that. We're right now trying to get him to learn the offense. He hasn't been in an offense like this, so from a terminology standpoint, it's a huge challenge for him.
"I'm not really looking at it physically right now. We know he's physically gifted, but I just want to see how much he can learn so if God forbid something did happen to C.J. in the game, that he can come in and hand the ball off and when we do throw, know where those guys are and understand what the terminology is."
Does Rosen have a chance to stick with the Niners?
Barrows brings up some interesting points that suggest the 49ers possibly envisioning more than just a two-game stint for the quarterback. One is the situation that he left behind in Tampa Bay. Yes, he was on the practice squad when San Francisco inquired about his interest in heading across the country to join its roster. The Buccaneers are playoff-bound, though. That means bonus money and excitement, plus the possibility of being bumped to the active roster during a run.
Mullens is dealing with what seems to be a serious elbow injury, which may require Tommy John surgery. Who knows if he will even be ready for the start of the 2021 season.
Plus, both Mullens and Beathard are scheduled to become free agents in March. Mullens will be of the restricted variety, but Beathard will be an unrestricted free agent. Whether Garoppolo is the quarterback next season or not, the 49ers will need some depth at the position.
"Put another way: The 49ers usually go through the offseason with four quarterbacks," wrote Barrows. "As it stands, just one — Garoppolo — is signed for 2021. There's room for someone like Rosen."
That, plus his perceived fit in Shanahan's system, probably factored into Rosen's decision to leave Tampa Bay.
The point is, one probably shouldn't assume Rosen is just with San Francisco for two games. He will be an exclusive-rights free agent, so the 49ers can easily keep him around should they wish to do so.
"We're appreciative to Josh in having faith in us," general manager John Lynch said this week. "And it really is a nice little chance to take a look at a very talented player, and we'll see where it goes from there. But right now, it's pedal to the metal trying to learn our system."
