49ers are in the market for a backup quarterback. Will they trade for Zach Wilson?
Their backup quarterback last season, Sam Darnold, is a free agent, and there’s a chance he could sign somewhere that gives him a chance to compete to be the starter.
If Darnold leaves, there’s a legitimate chance the 49ers could trade for Wilson, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“I think a team would trade a sixth or a seventh for Zach Wilson as a backup, but the money is the issue. My understanding is he has a short list of teams that he’s interested in going to. He’s not necessarily in a position to dictate terms right now based on the way things went. He wants to go to an offensive head coach — that’s pretty clear from my talks here at the Combine. So you think Rams, you think the 49ers.”
The 49ers currently have the cheapest quarterback room in the NFL — they can afford to spend $5.4 million on Wilson if they like. And there’s a good chance they do like him. I’m guessing the 49ers would have drafted him instead of Trey Lance if both were available for them in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Wilson has plenty of excuses for failing with the Jets. First, the Jets are terrible, as are their offensive coaches. He would benefit from playing under Kyle Shanahan. And his skill set is quite similar to Brock Purdy’s, considering both have smaller statures and both like running around.
I wouldn’t be against the trade.
