Situation at QB has Shanahan ‘up for anything’
Coach Kyle Shanahan spent part of his 41st birthday Monday fielding variations of the same question, the same one he’ll hear again the next many months: What is going on with the 49ers’ quarterback situation?
For now, Shanahan is weighing whether or not to start Nick Mullens a sixth straight game Sunday when the 49ers host the Dallas Cowboys.
“I’m up for anything right now,” Shanahan said. “We’ll see how that goes the next couple days.”
C. J. Beathard is Shanahan’s other option, not Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan noted that the 49ers won’t risk putting Garoppolo on the field if doing so could prompt offseason surgery, adding that a Week 16 or Week 17 return is “up in the air.”
Garoppolo won’t return to practice until next week at the earliest because of a Nov. 2 high ankle sprain; tight end George Kittle will resume practicing this week after his foot fracture
in that same, Nov. 2 loss at Seattle.
“We’ve gotten over the hump but it is a risk, and we’re not going to do it if there’s a risk,” Shanahan said of Garoppolo. “We feel talking to Jimmy and the doctors it is a risk this week. We’ll re- evaluate it next Monday.”
This week’s debate centers on whether to sit Mullens, who’s lost 3 of 7 fumbles and had 10 passes intercepted. ( Veteran Josh Johnson is on the practice squad, but there’s been no hint of elevating him.)
“The way we’ve been turning the ball over, I need to decide if the change of quarterbacks helps or not,” Shanahan added. “It’s very tough to win football games the way we’ve been turning the ball over.”
Mullens’ two turnovers Sunday — a first-half sack/ fumble and second- half interception — were returned for Washington’s
only touchdowns in a 2315 loss, dropping the 49ers to 5-8 and on the cusp of playoff elimination.
Beathard has not started since going 1- 4 and 0-5 in 2017 and ‘18, respectively. SAMUEL OUT FOR REGULAR SEASON >> Deebo Samuel took the football, ran left, got pushed out of bounds and there went his left hamstring. So it was on Oct. 25, with the 49ers leading 30- 6 in the fourth quarter at New England. This wasn’t just another injury in the Niners’ season full of them.
Since then, the 49ers have gone 1-5, surrendered their NFC West crown and won’t have Samuel for their remaining three games after he aggravated that hamstring on Sunday’s first snap against Washington.
“We’d have to make the playoffs for him to come back,” Shanahan said.
Samuel’s second season was abbreviated to just seven games, 33 catches, 391 receiving yards, eight carries (26 yards) and one overall touchdown. Foot and hamstring injuries did him in, and Shanahan emphasized Monday to Samuel how his health suffered from a lack of conditioning, because he was so busy rehabilitating.
“Ever y time Deebo’s come back, he’s gotten reinjured, and it’s because he hasn’t been in a position to really be in great football shape,” Shanahan said.
• Linebacker Fred Warner (nerve stinger) and running back Raheem Mostert (ankle) were undergoing MRI exams Monday and their status is to be determined.
• Center Daniel Brunskill is day to day with a shoulder sprain.
AIYUK ‘STEP BACK’ >> Shanahan isn’t gloating at rookie Brandon Aiyuk’s production, including career highs Sunday with 10 catches on 16 targets for 119 yards.
“I know he’s got good stats, but I’ve got high expectations for Brandon to keep improving every week,” Shanahan said. “He handles himself more like a pro more than most rookies I’ve been around, so he’s got a great future. But I still think he can play a lot better.
“He took a small step back last night and hoping he takes two steps forward next week.”
Shanahan noted that Mullens’ receiving corps, in general, compounded Sunday’s passing-game woes with nine drops. Also, Shanahan does not expect rookie Jauan Jennings to play this season because of an October hamstring injury, adding that next offseason will be key to his development. EXTRA POINTS:
• Offensive line coach John Benton’s COVID-19 positive test made for a scary Sunday morning, Shanahan said. Contract tracing determined that Benton did not potentially expose others because masks and social distancing were employed on the practice field, which is the only place the 49ers can congregate under the NFL’s intensive protocol.
• Shanahan did not indicate whether the 49ers would exercise Robbie Gould’s 2021 option, ahead of a Week 16 deadline.