The San Francisco 49ers traded up to No. 3 overall in the NFL Draft so they can select a quarterback, but it’s unclear which player they are targeting. That may be because they lack organizational consensus.
In an interview with “The Rap with Patrick Meagher” on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio this week, Michael Lombardi of The Athletic said he has been told that the 49ers’ brass does not agree on which quarterback the team should pick. More specifically, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have different views at the moment.
“Someone told me there is a conversation in the building that Kyle wants X and maybe Lynch wants Y,” Lombardi said. “I’m gonna be very clear here — Kyle is going to make this pick. It’s in his contract. It’s not a question of he’s just gonna do it because of (his) personality. The Shanahans run the 49ers. Lynch is there to do what he is told to do.”
You can hear the full segment below, with the relevant remarks coming at around 2:50.
Many people are predicting the 49ers to select Trey Lance with the 3rd pick in the NFL draft. @mlombardiNFl explains to @TheWrapRadio why he believes San Francisco will be heading in a different direction. #LombardiLine pic.twitter.com/3fBAaCILSs
— VSiN (@VSiNLive) March 28, 2021
As Lombardi noted, Shanahan’s contract states that he gets final say over roster moves. It’s no surprise that he leans heavily on his father Mike, who coached in the NFL and won three Super Bowls. Ultimately, Kyle and Mike are going to decide which quarterback would be the best fit for the 49ers.
Many analysts are predicting that the Niners will draft Trey Lance, but Lombardi and others think they are eyeing Alabama’s Mac Jones. They could also be high on Justin Fields, who put his freak athleticism on full display (video here) at his Pro Day this week.
