Blaine Gabbert Proving He Deserves to Start for San Francisco 49ers in 2016

Sunday started with breaking news about San Francisco 49ers former starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

“(The) 49ers and Colin Kaepernick met last week,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted, “and team expressed it’s open to bringing him back, per sources. Door not closed on return to SF.”

Shortly after Schefter’s report, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com followed up with one of his own: “Kaepernick sat down with GM Trent Baalke this week & discussed, among other things, FA targets for 2016. Kap in their plans,” Rapoport tweeted.

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If the 49ers really want to pay Kaepernick more than $16 million to be a backup next season, that’s their business. But they definitely don’t need Kaepernick to start—not after Blaine Gabbert’s clutch performance in the Niners’ 26-20 overtime win over the Chicago Bears. Gabbert showed he deserves to be the starting quarterback in 2016.

Gabbert wasn’t great against the Bears. In fact, most of the game he was mediocre at best. He posted a passer rating of 64.5 until the final play of overtime (more on that below) and led the offense to just 14 points the first four quarters.

But Gabbert didn’t make mistakes—no picks, no fumbles, no bonehead decisions. He played like the second coming of Alex Smith. And with the game on the line, Gabbert played like the second coming of Steve Young.

Cut to the fourth quarter, Niners are down 20-13. Less than four minutes left. Gabbert takes a sack on 1st-and-10 and loses six yards. Things looking bleak for San Francisco. But Gabbert hits Anquan Boldin for 10 yards on the second down. And on 3rd-and-six, Gabbert scrambles for nine yards and picks up the first down.

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Two plays later, Gabbert scrambles for seven yards on 2nd-and-10. The very next play, Gabbert runs up the middle, jukes safety Adrian Amos and sprints 44 yards for a game-tying touchdown. Three great runs during one drive.

Cut to overtime. Niners ball. It's 1st-and-10 from their 29. Gabbert fakes a handoff, spins around and lofts a deep pass perfectly over the shoulder of Torrey Smith, who catches the ball and jogs into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

“They took the bait,” Gabbert said after the game (h/t CSNBayArea.com). “(T. Smith) did a great job selling the deep cross and hitting to the back pylon. I tried to just cut it early with as much air as possible and let him find it when the ball’s in the air. Worked out beautifully.”

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Sure did. If Gabbert had underthrown that deep pass even a little bit, Smith probably wouldn’t have scored, and who knows if Phil Dawson would have made the game-winning field goal. He missed an extra point earlier in the game, and Bears kicker Robbie Gould missed what should have been a game-winning 36-yard chip shot at the end of regulation.

“Blaine can play—I’ve been saying that since day one,” Smith said at his postgame press conference (h/t CSNBayArea.com). “I think a lot of people don’t believe in his athleticism. He can run. Obviously, everyone saw that. Folks were probably shocked, like, ‘This guy’s taking off up the middle!’

“I’m happy for him. He’s done a great job moving the chains and making plays with his feet. We always feel like no matter what the score is, whether we’re up or down, we’re able to make a play with him back there. He’s doing a great job.”

Quite the endorsement.

Smith wasn’t the only player to praise Gabbert after the game. Read what former All-Pro inside linebacker and team leader NaVorro Bowman said (h/t 49ers.com): “(Gabbert’s) got a little savviness to him. We love it as his teammates. I think it’s showing out there the way the offense is really playing for him. It was exciting to see him run down that field.”

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

In other words, the Niners play hard for Gabbert, which they didn’t do for Kaepernick this season. Measured praise. Bowman didn’t say Gabbert is a great quarterback—he isn’t great. And Bowman didn't say Gabbert should be the franchise quarterback—he shouldn’t be.

The Niners absolutely should draft a quarterback early in the upcoming draft, perhaps as early as the first round. But San Francisco can sit that rookie and still compete with Gabbert as the starter.

Win-win.

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