49ers' Kyle Shanahan: 'I've Got a Pretty Good Idea' Who Starting QB Will Be

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't publicly named a starting quarterback for Week 1, but it seems the battle is over.

"I've got a pretty good idea," Shanahan said Wednesday, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "But as you guys can see with everything, I don't know our schedule a couple days from now. So, I've always had a pretty good idea. But there are lots of days between now and then, at every position."

Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is hoping to hold off rookie Trey Lance for the starting job, and he might have given a hint that he is the favorite on Wednesday.

"I have a pretty good idea," Garoppolo said with a smile, per Wagoner. "I'm pretty happy with where I'm at right now and everything and just the offense as a whole. Kyle's the head man. He'll make the call."

Lance had the better numbers in Week 2 of the preseason against the Los Angeles Chargers, totaling 102 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception in the 15-10 win. Garoppolo went 3-of-6 for 15 yards and an interception, although he started the game and played just one series.

The 49ers know what Garoppolo can do as he enters his fifth season with the team. The 29-year-old led the squad to the Super Bowl two years ago and has posted a 98.1 quarterback rating through four seasons with the organization.

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Ankle problems limited him to just six games in 2020, but the veteran has been a reliable player when on the field.

It could still be difficult for the 49ers to look past Lance's upside as a dual-threat player who was taken third in the 2021 draft. Even if the 21-year-old doesn't begin the season as the starter, he has a chance to take over the role before too long.