Yes, The 49ers Intend To Carry Four Quarterbacks

Usually, an NFL team focuses on a starting quarterback and a backup, then keeps a third in case of an emergency. But the San Francisco 49ers appear to be aiming to corner the entire market.

According to The Athletic, the Niners very well could enter the season with Jimmy Garoppolo, rookie Trey Lance, Josh Rosen and Nate Sudfeld, who had previously been a longtime third stringer with the Philadelphia Eagles, all on the team. That's four QBs in camp, and per The Athletic, they're all likely to be on the roster for Week 1.

Now, if all goes according to plan, either Garoppolo or Lance will be the starter, whoever loses the competition will be the backup, and Rosen and Sudfeld will do little more than carry a clipboard, offer encouragement and take utter delight in the fact they're still receiving a paycheck.

But whoever loses the Rosen-Sudfeld camp battle could very well end up on the practice squad, The Athletic added.

"This would require no team claiming the QB3 competition’s loser on waivers, however," wrote Sam Robinson of Pro Football Rumors. "Both have practice squad experience, with Sudfeld beginning his Eagles tenure on their taxi squad and Rosen plummeting to that level — with the Buccaneers — after active-roster stints with the Cardinals and Dolphins."

Garoppolo, Lance, Rosen, Sudfeld. There's no shortage of guys who play the team's most important position on this roster. All that remains to be seen is how all this madness shakes out.

Written by
Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.