The mystery of the 49ers’ backup quarterback has been solved. Nick Mullens on Monday told reporters that he’ll be the quarterback behind Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday when the team takes on the Buccaneers to open the regular season.
This isn’t a huge surprise given how well he played in eight starts last year, and his slightly better performance in the preseason. A telling sign of the eventual outcome was Mullens’ playing time in the third preseason game, then head coach Kyle Shanahan’s quick hook with him in the final preseason contest.
Mullens’ insertion as the backup quarterback means CJ Beathard will remain third on the depth chart, and likely inactive Sundays.
Typically the backup quarterback job isn’t a major concern, but with Garoppolo coming off an ACL tear, it heightens the necessity of a capable backup signal caller.
Mullens went 3-5 in eight starts last season with a 64.2 percent completion rate, 2,277 yards, 13 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. His 8.3 yards per attempt was the fifth-best mark in the NFL.
