John Lynch: 49ers will look at 'every scenario' to find QB solutions
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — On Wednesday, we took a closer look at some of the possibilities the San Francisco 49ers will have to consider as they seek both short- and long-term solutions at quarterback.
What’s missing from that discussion (and still is, really) is what exactly new coach Kyle Shanahan wants in his franchise signal-caller. Shanahan will turn his attention to evaluating quarterbacks, especially the college kind, here soon enough. But in the meantime, new general manager John Lynch joined KNBR radio this week and offered some insight into how the process will work.
Lynch made it clear he knows how important getting the right quarterback is for the team’s rebuilding efforts.
“That’s a big question,” Lynch said. “When I played, I had to play against those guys, and so I don’t know if I ever, in my mind I think I knew but I couldn’t really admit it to myself because it would only be surrender. Because when you go against a great one, you’re helpless. So I’ll tell you, that changed when I went up in the broadcast booth and you start just seeing the effect these guys have on football teams.
“I think there was a stat that I saw recently, where on the AFC side, 14 of the last 16 Super Bowls have been [Tom] Brady, [Peyton] Manning, then Ben Roethlisberger had a couple in there. And so that just speaks to how important that position is.”
The importance of quarterback productivity isn’t lost on the 49ers or their fans. Over the past three seasons, Niners quarterbacks have combined to rank 31st in the NFL in passing yards per game, 24th in completion percentage and passer rating, 26th in yards per attempt (6.45) and 23rd in QBR. The presence of Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert has offset that to some degree because of their running ability, but the fact remains that the Niners have consistently had one of the least dynamic passing attacks in the league.
In hiring Shanahan, the Niners undoubtedly hope that is about to change. Shanahan has spent nine years as an NFL offensive coordinator, with stops in Houston, Cleveland, Washington and Atlanta. In six of those nine seasons, Shanahan has called plays for an offense that finished in the top nine in the league in yards per game.
Shanahan’s finest work came this season when Atlanta led the league in points scored (540) and yards per play (6.7) and was second in yards per game (415.8). That performance earned Shanahan the Assistant Coach of the Year award, and quarterback Matt Ryan claimed MVP honors.
Ryan isn’t the only quarterback Shanahan has had success with, either. He’s helped journeymen like Brian Hoyer as well as high draft picks like Robert Griffin III have their best NFL seasons.
The key now is for Shanahan and Lynch to get on the same page so the personnel department knows what the coach is looking for when evaluating the position.
“The answer for us is that Kyle and I are going to get together, and we’ve already discussed it, but we’re going to get together and find out exactly what he’s looking for in a quarterback,” Lynch told KNBR. “And then we’re going to evaluate the guys we have, we’re going to evaluate the draft, and we’re going to look hard at free agency, trades, whatever we need to do to get a guy. And it may not be this year. It may be that we draft and develop. We’re looking at every scenario, but we’re both big believers, and I don’t think this is anything revolutionary. Everyone knows how important that position is, but we certainly place a huge emphasis on it and we’re going to work hard to get that right.”
Of utmost importance is a quarterback with the mental acumen to handle Shanahan’s offense. It’s a complicated scheme that could easily overwhelm a quarterback without the wherewithal to comprehend it.
“You get in Kyle Shanahan’s system and you’ve got 15-word plays,” Lynch said. “And the coach is in your ear but you still have to replicate that with confidence and authority. And so it’s a big challenge for this entire league. I think it extends deeper than just the quarterback position, but at that position in particular, that’s a challenge.”
Which is why it’s very likely that even if the 49ers select a quarterback early in the NFL draft, they’ll bring in a veteran who can help him along and even provide a buffer before he’d have to play. Lynch even floated the idea that the Niners’ search for a franchise quarterback could last beyond this offseason.
“It’s just the reality — these [college] guys are playing a different style of football,” Lynch said. “I don’t think it’s great for the game, but it’s the reality, because it’s all over college and high school football. So that’s going to be a challenge moving forward.”
