NFL Player News

Head coach Kyle Shanahan affirmed that "C.J.'s our guy" following the announcement that Jimmy Garoppolo (knee) will undergo season-ending surgery, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Beathard was already expected to start next week against the Chargers, and he will take over for the rest of the year after Garoppolo was diagnosed with a torn ACL. The 23-year-old will have big shoes to fill, but it is worth noting he was hand-picked by San Francisco's current regime in the 2017 draft as the quarterback of the future before the team acquired Garoppolo midseason. Beathard posted 1,430 passing yards (55 completion percentage) with four touchdowns and six interceptions while starting six games during his rookie campaign. The signal caller also displayed above-average athleticism with 136 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 26 attempts over that span. It wouldn't be surprising to see the sophomore build on last season's totals with an improved offensive line and an extra year in Shanahan's system under his belt, but he is certainly a downgrade in comparison to Garoppolo.

Mullens will be signed from the 49ers' practice squad to serve as C.J. Beathard's backup following Jimmy Garoppolo's season-ending knee injury, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The 49ers are also planning on bringing in a group of veteran free-agent quarterbacks to compete for the backup job Tuesday, so Mullens' stay on the 53-man roster may be short-lived. The 23-year-old completed 72.1 percent of his passes for 396 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions this preseason.

Gabbert remains in the concussion protocol but is being evaluated, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Coach Mike Vrabel elaborated on Gabbert's health Monday, stating "once I get a report from the doctors, and Blaine sees the doctors, we'll have a better idea on what his availability is going to be and what it might look like." Gabbert exited the Titans' Week 3 matchup early in the game, and with Marcus Mariota still battling an elbow injury, he may draw a start Week 4 if he can clear the league's protocol.

Savage will workout for the 49ers, Jordan Schultz of ESPN.com reports.

San Francisco is eagerly expanding their options behind center following the news of Jimmy Garoppolo's torn ACL. While it's still in the early stages, the decision to bring in Savage for a workout hints there is some level of interest on the 49ers' end. As of right now, C.J. Beathard is the lone healthy quarterback on the roster. Even if San Francisco reaches an agreement with Savage, the five-year veteran is likely to begin his Bay Area tenure on the bench with a clipboard in hand.

Garoppolo is expected to undergo surgery on the torn ACL in his left knee in the next 1-2 weeks, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.

Garoppolo will wait until swelling in the region diminishes before undergoing the procedure. Coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned Monday that Garoppolo's injury is believed to be contained to his ACL, but admitted surgery could reveal additional damage, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. While Garoppolo embarks on a lengthy recovery effort, the 49ers will turn to C.J. Beathard to run the offense.

Bradford has lost the starting job to Josh Rosen, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.

Bradford put up just 20 points and committed six turnovers in three games, eventually getting benched during the fourth quarter of Sunday's 16-14 loss to the Bears. It remains to be seen if he'll be active for Week 4 as the backup quarterback, given that the Cardinals can avoid some of his roster bonuses if he isn't on the 46-man gameday squad. It would be cheaper for the team to use Mike Glennon as the backup for Sunday's game against Seattle.

Brissett replaced Andrew Luck on the final play of Sunday's loss at Philadelphia. He threw a 60-yard Hail Mary pass that fell incomplete on his only pass attempt.

With the Colts needing a long Hail Mary to win the game, Brisset was used for his stronger arm. Luck is clearly the starting quarterback, but the move could be seen as the team still having some concern about Luck's shoulder after he missed all of last season. Notably, head coach Frank Reich said Brissett's usage was only because of his strong arm.

Garoppolo has been diagnosed with a torn ACL, bringing his 2018 season to an early end, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

An MRI confirmed what the 49ers had feared, leaving C.J. Beathard as their new starting quarterback. The silver lining is that Garoppolo went down in September, likely giving him enough time to rehab before Week 1 of 2019. He finishes his brief season with a 59.6 completion percentage and 5:3 TD:INT, but he did produce an impressive mark of 8.1 yards per pass attempt.

Coach Mike Vrabel said there are still throws Mariota can't make as he works his way back from an elbow injury, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.

Mariota replaced Blaine Gabbert (concussion) early in Sunday's 9-6 win over Jacksonville, completing 12 of 18 passes for 100 yards and adding 51 yards on seven carries. The Titans went ultra-conservative on offense while playing with a limited quarterback, and the plan worked out surprisingly well thanks to a big day from their defense. Vrabel said he hopes to have the full package of plays available when the Titans host the Eagles in Week 4. The situation still needs to be monitored closely, as the team might consider starting Gabbert if he clears the concussion protocol before Mariota's elbow is fully healthy.

San Francisco general manager John Lynch told Peter King of NBC Sports that he believes Garoppolo (knee) suffered a torn ACL in Sunday's 38-27 loss to the Chiefs. "All indications are that [Garoppolo's ACL is] torn," Lynch said. "Our [medical] guys say they've been wrong before and so they need to do the MRI, obviously."

Lynch's comments validate the fears head coach Kyle Shanahan said he had Sunday regarding Garoppolo's knee injury after the quarterback departed in the fourth quarter of the contest. Even if tests clear Garoppolo of any ligament damage, it seems safe to conclude that he'll miss time due to injury, paving the way for C.J. Beathard to start behind center Week 4 against the Chargers. Expect the 49ers to relay a formal diagnosis for Garoppolo's injury shortly after the results of his MRI become available Monday.