49ers Not Searching For Short-Term QB

The 49ers have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for veteran quarterbacks such as Jay Cutler and Matt Schaub, but had coach Kyle Shanahan said today that he’s not interested in simply acquiring an interim solution.Kyle Shanahan

[RELATED: 49ers Could Have Interest In Jay Cutler]

“When you make a decision on a quarterback, you don’t want that to just be a short-term fix,” Shanahan told reporters, including Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “You want to make a commitment to somebody. In order to do that, you better make sure you’re on the same page with everyone else and you put the time in, you talk to people who’ve been with these guys.”

Shanahan’s view would seemingly rule out pursuits of aging players like Cutler and Schaub (unless one was brought into to serve as a bridge quarterback while a younger passer developed), but it wouldn’t eliminate Kirk Cousins or Jimmy Garoppolo from San Francisco’s radar. Linked to both players, the 49ers would have to commit both draft compensation and financial capital in order to acquire either Cousins or Garoppolo, which is essentially the definition of Shanahan’s “commitment.”

Holding the second overall pick in the draft, the 49ers also have the option of selecting a collegiate quarterback. UNC’s Mitch Trubisky, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, and Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer could be in consideration with the No. 2 pick, while San Francisco could took a look at Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech) or Brad Kaaya (Miami) on Day 2. The Niners won’t force a quarterback pick, however, as Shanahan stated in a separate interview on KNBR that his club will take the best available player.

“If there is a quarterback there that we believe can match that criteria and we believe he can be a franchise quarterback for us, of course, you don’t hesitate on that,” Shanahan said, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “But if you don’t see that and there are other good players – if there’s a pass-rusher, a linebacker, if there’s an O-lineman, whatever it is – you need to get the best player possible who can help your team for the next 10 years.”

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