Michael Lombardi of The Athletic was recently discussing with Adnan Virk the Carolina Panthers' trade of quarterback Kyle Allen to the Washington Redskins for a fifth-round pick when he mentioned a tidbit about the 49ers' backup quarterback. The Panthers trade came the same day that the 2015 NFL MVP, Cam Newton, was released, and two days before the signing of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
The Panthers attempted to trade Newton but were unsuccessful in finding a partner.
"There was about three teams trying to trade for Kyle Allen," Lombardi said this week on The GM Shuffle podcast. "You know what's interesting about the Kyle Allen trade? This is really interesting. The 49ers got a bunch of phone calls — when I say a bunch, a couple of teams — on Nick Mullens, the backup quarterback in San Francisco. Nick Mullens. They were asking about him, and they turned down every trade offer for Nick Mullens. They wouldn't trade him.
"Think about that. Think about that. Nick Mullens was like — Cam Newton had no value, (and) Nick Mullens (is) untradable (in the 49ers' eyes). Just put that in perspective for a while. Digest that."
It sounds like Lombardi is referring to this offseason. We already know the team was attempting to trade one of its backup quarterbacks last year.
It was reported last September that the 49ers weren't against shopping either of their backup quarterbacks, Mullens or C.J. Beathard, the team's third-round draft pick in 2017. San Francisco reportedly sought a mid-round pick for one of the two, though, and other teams were unwilling to meet that asking price.
The 49ers ended up entering last season with both quarterbacks behind Jimmy Garoppolo on the depth chart.
"In the last week, there was a lot of interest, a lot of conversations (about Mullens and Beathard)," general manager John Lynch said in September. "That position to us is one that you just set a price on, and you stay firm on it. While we had discussions, we never deviated from what that price was for us, and nobody ever met it, so we were happy to carry the three in."
It's unknown what those offers for Mullens may have included, but it is obvious that the 49ers see more value in keeping him on the roster. Mullens appeared in eight games in 2018, completing 64.2 percent of his passes for 2,277 yards with 13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a passer rating of 90.8.
San Francisco tendered a one-year contract to Mullens, an exclusive-rights free agent, on March 5.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Mock draft has 49ers selecting versatile defender to bolster multiple positions
The San Francisco 49ers endured significant roster losses this offseason, highlighted by the departure of key players such as linebacker Dre Greenlaw and several defensive linemen—including last year's high-profile signing, Leonard Floyd. As a result, the 49ers are... -
Why 49ers' Nick Bosa is a top-5 defensive centerpiece
NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks recently ranked the top defensive centerpieces he'd build an NFL roster around. Topping the list are two dominant pass rushers—Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett—which comes as no surprise. Both are under 30 and widely considered among... -
49ers Named As Potential Trade Destination for All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson
As higher-profile contract talks continue between the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy, the team is still putting in plenty of time looking at ways to upgrade their defensive line, which (like the rest of the 49ers' defensive unit) struggled mightily in... -
49ers trade up twice in 7-round mock draft
Chris Trapasso's latest 7-round mock draft for CBS Sports features some bold moves by the San Francisco 49ers, including two trade-ups and a surprising slide by one of the top offensive tackles in this year's class. Trapasso has Missouri's Armand Membou as the first offensive...