Baker Mayfield could be QB candidate for surprising team?
Dec 8, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield (17) before playing against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco 49ers may be forced to bring in a veteran quarterback due to injury issues with their current options, and they could target a surprising name.
Albert Breer of The MMQB speculated Friday that the 49ers could look to bring in someone like Baker Mayfield on an inexpensive short-term deal. Mayfield has starting experience and is also familiar with the type of offense coach Kyle Shanahan runs.
One question is whether Mayfield would be interested in this sort of arrangement. Trey Lance is coming back from an ACL tear, while Brock Purdy’s delayed elbow surgery could cause issues at the start of next season. If nothing else, the Niners may need to bring in a veteran quarterback purely as an insurance policy, but there would be no guarantees of much playing time, if any.
Mayfield probably will not be guaranteed a starting job anywhere in 2023, though he has been linked to one other franchise that might be more appealing.
