49ers Rumors: Joe Flacco Visiting SF in Free Agency After 1 Season with Jets

Veteran free-agent quarterback Joe Flacco is visiting the San Francisco 49ers as a potential backup to Jimmy Garoppolo, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. 

Flacco appeared in five games with the New York Jets last season, passing for 864 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions while losing all four of his starts. The Super Bowl XLVII MVP is looking to join his third team in as many years after spending his first 11 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. 

In his age-35 season with the Jets, Flacco carried a cap hit of $1.3 million. A similar contract would make sense with the cash-strapped Niners.

According to Spotrac, San Francisco has $2.5 million available under the salary cap. That should be more than enough to land Flacco if all goes well.

Josh Rosen and Josh Johnson are currently listed behind Garoppolo on the depth chart after last year's backups, C.J. Bethard and Nick Mullens, entered free agency. Given that the Niners have struggled to win (6-17) whenever Garoppolo is out of the lineup—which amounted to 10 games in 2020—finding a suitable No. 2 QB is a major priority for general manager John Lynch. 

Besides Flacco, the list of affordable backups is relatively short this year. 

Josh McCown, Blake Bortles and Brian Hoyer are arguably the best options after Flacco, though they could be more expensive. 

Flacco may not be a long-term solution, but he solves an immediate problem for a Niners team looking to rebound in 2021.