San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan isn't quite ready to name his starting quarterback -- he told reporters as much following the team's second preseason game this past weekend.
But whether the coveted job is given to incumbent veteran Jimmy Garoppolo or first-round rookie Trey Lance, 49ers running back Raheem Mostert expects the team to rebound from last season's woes and once again compete at a championship-caliber level.
"The dynamic has been all positive. We know who the quarterback is, we know the situation, and whoever's under center, we're going to have their back, regardless," Mostert told the Tiki and Tierney show on Tuesday. "Jimmy's a great guy, great leader. He's been proven once before, so you've got to lean on him. And then you've got Trey, who's the younger guy, more mobile, stuff like that. So, there's a lot of pros to having both guys.
"It's definitely a whirlwind, just practicing with both of them, because their attitudes are like, 'Hey, I just want to get you better'... That's the attitude you need, especially with a position that's so demanding. And they're doing a great job, and Kyle's doing a great job putting them in those situations, too. I'm excited for both of them, honestly, and I truly can't wait to see both of them go out there and shine."
San Francisco, which finished 6-10 last season due to an onslaught of injuries to key contributors, won three of its six division games. Mostert, Garoppolo, and tight end George Kittle all spent time on injured reserve, and 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa also suffered a season-ending injury, as he tore his left ACL during Week 2.
Garoppolo, who turns 30 in November, has endured some unpleasant injuries since signing a five-year, $137.5 million deal with the franchise back in 2018. He's missed 23 games across the past three seasons, due to a sprained right shoulder, a torn ACL, and a pair of high ankle sprains. In his lone healthy year in 2019, the 49ers happened to finish 13-3 and reach the Super Bowl.
In the 49ers' win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Garoppolo played just a single series, completing 3 of 6 passes for 15 yards and an interception. As for Lance, the third overall pick in this year's draft, he completed 8 of 14 passes for 102 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. In his preseason debut on Aug. 14, the North Dakota State product unleashed an 80-yard touchdown bomb during his second drive, and went 5 for 14 overall with 128 yards.
San Francisco will open the 2021 regular season on the road against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 12. According to the William Hill Sportsbook, the 49ers currently have the second-best odds (+200) to win the NFC West, and the second-best odds (+600) to win the conference.
The entire 49ers conversation between Mostert and Tiki and Tierney can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Tiki and Tierney Show on Twitter @TikiAndTierney and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.