Brian Hoyer, 49ers Reportedly Agree to 2-Year Contract

Veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer will reportedly sign with the San Francisco 49ers when free agency officially begins Thursday afternoon, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and Adam Caplan of ESPN.

Rapoport added that the deal would be for two years, noting, "Fair to say, this makes it unlikely they bring in Kirk Cousins in a trade." 

CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora reported the deal would pay Hoyer $6 million per year in base salary, with bonuses to bring the total closer to $9 million a year.

Hoyer, 31, appeared in six games for the Chicago Bears in 2016, throwing for 1,445 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. He suffered a broken left forearm against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7 and went on injured reserve shortly thereafter.

In 2015, the journeyman quarterback appeared in 11 games for the Texans, throwing for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He helped guide Houston to the playoffs, but that was in large part due to the team's excellent defense. Hoyer imploded in a 30-0 Wild Card Game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, however, finishing 15-of-34 for 136 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions.

That meltdown prompted the Texans to sign former Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler in the offseason to be their starter in 2016, rendering Hoyer expendable. He joined head coach John Fox in Chicago, where he replaced an injured Jay Cutler before fracturing his forearm.

While Hoyer profiles best as a backup—he's completed just 59.5 percent of his passes in the NFL and has 44 touchdown passes to 26 interceptions—he has plenty of starting experience and could provide some stability if the 49ers call upon him to start in 2017.

It remains to be seen what role Hoyer will play in San Francisco. He could be the team's starter while it grooms a young quarterback, or he could serve as a backup and mentor to a high-profile draft pick. Regardless, his presence on the roster will give the Niners more flexibility heading into the remainder of the offseason.