3 Quarterbacks the 49ers Should Look at in 2021 Offseason

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Monday that he envisioned Jimmy Garoppolo as the team's starting quarterback for the 2021 season. 

"Yes, I do believe Jimmy is going to be our quarterback next year," Shanahan said.

Garoppolo could lead the 49ers in their 2021 season opener, but it would not hurt the franchise if it explored other possibilities at the position in the offseason. 

A handful of teams will be changing coaches, and that could make some quarterbacks available if they don't fit with their new coach's vision. 

If the right situation arises for the 49ers to pounce on a starting quarterback, they could find an upgrade on Garoppolo, who has played a single full season during his time in the NFC West. 

Even if Garoppolo is the starter next season, the 49ers could improve their quarterback room at some point in the 2021 NFL draft to land a better backup than Nick Mullens or C.J. Beathard in case their No. 1 signal-caller gets hurt again.

Quarterbacks the 49ers Should Target In Offseason

Matthew Stafford

Al Goldis/Associated Press

Matthew Stafford is under contract with the Detroit Lions until 2023, but with Matt Patricia already let go as head coach, the team could soon be entering a full rebuild.

If a trade partner can't be found, the franchise could opt to release Stafford during the offseason. The move would come with a $19 million salary cap hit, but it would save the Lions $14 million against the cap while starting over with a new quarterback and head coach. 

If Stafford were to become available, the 49ers should take a serious look at the 32-year-old quarterback, who may be hungry to play for a winner. 

Stafford has played in three playoff games since arriving in Detroit in 2009, and if he were to land in the Bay Area, he would immediately have a better chance to land a postseason berth than his situation in Detroit in 2021. 

The 49ers would be able to surround Stafford with an abundance of offensive weapons that he has rarely had in Detroit, and the team's dominant rushing attack would take some pressure off the former No. 1 overall pick. 

Stafford's numbers have decreased recently, but he has still thrown for over 3,700 passing yards in two of the last three seasons. He had seven straight 4,000-yard seasons from 2011 to 2017. 

If the Lions and Stafford break up, he could be persuaded to land with a Super Bowl contender instead of being part of another project. 

The most important factor for the 49ers to consider if this became a possibility would be Stafford's health. He started 16 games in every season from 2011 to 2018 but has been limited by injuries throughout 2020 despite making 15 appearances. He left Week 16's game with an ankle injury. 

Sam Darnold

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Sam Darnold would be a more realistic and cheaper option for the 49ers to consider if they wanted to upgrade from Garoppolo.

If the New York Jets fire head coach Adam Gase and plan to take a quarterback in the 2021 NFL draft, Darnold could become available. 

The argument in Darnold's favor is the significant improvement Ryan Tannehill showed with the Tennessee Titans after he parted ways with Gase and the Miami Dolphins. In three seasons with New York, Darnold has eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark once. He has 1,942 passing yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games this season. 

Although Darnold's numbers are not that impressive, he would not be required to throw for 300 yards in every game inside the 49ers run-oriented offense. In the passing game, Darnold would have a reliable threat across the middle in tight end George Kittle who could help him gain more confidence than he displayed in New York.

There is a chance the Jets hold on to Darnold and render this scenario useless, especially with Trevor Lawrence likely headed to Jacksonville, but they could select one of the other top quarterback prospects to have a clean start with a quarterback-head coach combination if Gase gets fired.

Ian Book

Matt Cashore/Associated Press

If the market for current NFL quarterbacks does not develop, the 49ers could use one of their middle-round draft picks on a player who may eventually compete with Garoppolo.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish senior Ian Book is a proven winner with 30 victories as a starter, and he should be available after the first two rounds. ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. listed Book as his No. 9 quarterback in his latest draft rankings.

The 49ers should not be in the market for any of the projected first-round quarterbacks, which would take Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and possibly Mac Jones off the board. 

Beathard has turned into a decent backup after being selected in the 2017 draft's third round out of Iowa. He played well in the Week 16 win over the Arizona Cardinals, throwing three touchdowns, but his ceiling seems to be a No. 2 quarterback in the NFL. 

Book has shown improvements in his game during Notre Dame's run to the College Football Playoff, and if the Irish had remained undefeated, he could have been a fringe candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

The California native threw for at least 2,500 yards and 15 touchdowns in each of his last three seasons with Notre Dame, and he could be the perfect player to develop while the 49ers give Garoppolo a chance to lead them again in 2021. 

If Garoppolo suffers another injury or is ineffective for a long stretch, the 49ers could have a young insurance policy in place instead of spending a large chunk of cash on an experienced signal-caller.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.

Contract information obtained from Spotrac.