Hoyer seizes opportunity as starting QB for 49ers

It took nine NFL seasons and sixth franchise for Brian Hoyer to come into training camp as the unquestioned starting quarterback of his team.

Signed by the San Francisco 49ers in March to replace the departed Colin Kaepernick, Hoyer is entrenched as the starter to begin the team’s first camp under coach Kyle Shanahan.

With a familiar coach who believes in his ability after a successful season together in Cleveland in 2014 and a rebuilding team that has only untested Matt Barkley and third-round rookie C.J. Beathard behind him on the depth chart, Hoyer won’t need to win a training camp battle to earn the starting job this season.

“You don’t have to deal with the unknown a little bit when it comes to that,” Hoyer said.

“That’s always nice, especially being a human being. You can tell yourself not to worry about things as much as you want to, but you know those thoughts creep up in your mind. So now just to be able to go out and focus and take control and know this is my team, this is my offense. It kind of eliminates that and you can just focus on the football side of it.”

Hoyer has seized that leadership role by organizing an informal summer workout in Texas with many of the team’s receivers. How long he has it remains to be seen. The 49ers gave Hoyer only a two-year contract and could easily make a run at Kirk Cousins next offseason and return him to his more usual backup role.

Hoyer has heard that speculation but isn’t dwelling on it.

“I know from being in this league it’s about what have you done lately, so one whole year can change ... how people think about things,” he said.