The San Francisco 49ers did not submit a claim for former Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. There was a lot of speculation that they might, giving rookie Brock Purdy a veteran backup with plenty of starting experience.
For what it's worth, the 49ers did not put in a waiver claim for QB Baker Mayfield, who wound up being claimed by the Rams, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 6, 2022
Mayfield is headed to the NFC West, though. He will join the 3-9 Los Angeles Rams, not the 8-4 division-leading 49ers. The Rams sat at No. 4 in the waiver wire priority order. San Francisco is at No. 24, so the chances of Mayfield falling to the Niners, had they been interested, was unlikely.
"We look into everything," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Monday when asked about Mayfield. "But that would surprise me right now, and we've got to discuss it this afternoon and stuff. I've always been a fan of his, but I feel real good about our players."
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On Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jimmy Garoppolo's foot injury, once considered season-ending, isn't as severe as initially assumed. The quarterback suffered the injury on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins but won't require surgery after all. Instead, Schefter reports that there is a chance for him to return in 7-8 weeks, making him a potential playoff contributor.
So it will be Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant in this year's draft, helming Shanahan's offense for the remainder of the regular season and possibly a playoff game or two, assuming the 49ers get that far. He will be joined by veteran NFL journeyman Josh Johnson, who the team officially signed on Tuesday. San Francisco also has quarterback Jacob Eason on the practice squad.