After Week 3 of the preseason, Kyle Shanahan spoke to the media after the 49ers beat the Kansas City Chiefs and said he’s going to keep three quarterbacks on the 2019 roster. Shanahan repeated his intention to keep three quarterbacks after seeing C.J. Beathard play Thursday night.
Many questioned Shanahan’s statement. Was it trade posturing? Were the 49ers worried about Jimmy Garoppolo’s health? Shanahan hasn’t had three passers on the 49ers roster since he’s been employed in Santa Clara. So, it came as a bit of a surprise.
Thursday night gave Beathard the chance to show everyone why Shanahan wants to keep three quarterbacks. Instead of impressing, Beathard turned in a performance we’re very used to seeing from No. 3 — uninspiring.
Yes, the game plan wasn’t anything special, but Beathard didn’t show out when everyone was watching.
Beathard’s best play of the night was a block when Jeff Wilson reversed the field. Beathard peeled back from his roll out to get out in front of Wilson as a lead blocker. Wilson punched in a touchdown behind Beathard’s block. It was a fun play, but Beathard isn’t gunning for a backup roster spot at fullback. He needed to show his skill as a passer however, he instead showed more of the same.
When it came to Beathard’s job of throwing the football he was solid, but nothing special when he needed to be. The entirety of the preseason has been a lot of the same from Beathard. He’s shown little improvement from the time he arrived in Santa Clara.
So why keep him on the roster? It’s an irresponsible decision from Shanahan when he has a perfectly good backup in Nick Mullens behind Garoppolo.
Beathard’s roster spot would steal a spot from a bubble player.
Speaking of players on the bubble, several made an impact vs the Chargers making Shanahan’s decision even tougher.
Many eyes were on Kendrick Bourne who is in the thick of the wide receiver battle. Bourne had a bad drop that would’ve defined his night before responding with a touchdown grab later in the game. Bourne is near the bottom of a cluttered wide receiver depth chart. Bourne has been battling Richie James and Jordan Matthews for a spot on the 49ers. Shanahan said after the game that there is still “a lot of things up in the air” with how the wide receiver battle will shake out.
On the defensive side of the football, a trio of roster maybes made plays that could decide if they make this team. Cornerback D.J. Reed Jr. had a nice night in coverage and as a returner. Reed’s versatility on special teams and in the secondary makes him an interesting piece on the roster that Shanahan might want to keep around.
Defensive lineman Damontre Moore has been a preseason standout and it didn’t stop Thursday night. Moore didn’t stuff the stat sheet but caused some havoc in the trenches when he was out there.
If Moore makes this team, he will see the field more than your standard bubble player. The 49ers have several players on the defensive line with injury histories making depth a need for this unit. Moore provides that at the least.
Special teams ace Mark Nzeocha snatched a few tackles and a key interception when he was on the field. Even after cutting Malcolm Smith, the 49ers have a crowed linebacker unit. Will there be room for Nzeocha or undrafted free agent Azeez Al-Shaair if they keep Beathard?
Would you rather keep Beathard over Moore, Nzeocha, Al-Shaair or Bourne? Those are the type of questions Lynch and Shanahan will face as cut day, when the Niners have to get down to 53 players (plus 10 practice squad guys), looms on Saturday.
