The 49ers have started fast, and that alone changes the way the NFC West looks in the early going. After beating the Los Angeles Rams in Australia and opening the season 1-0, San Francisco heads into Week 2 as a heavy favorite. With Seahawks QB Sam Darnold out at least a couple of weeks, the Niners suddenly look like the team in control of the division.
That setup makes Arizona the team to watch. The Cardinals also won in Week 1, but they came into the season with the lowest projected win total in the league, which puts them in the mix for one of the top picks in next year’s NFL Draft. If that happens, Texas quarterback Arch Manning could be the prize.
Most early mock drafts have Manning going first or second, with quarterbacks Dante Moore and CJ Carr rounding out the top three. For 49ers fans, another big-name quarterback in the division might not sound ideal at first. But in the short term, it could actually work in San Francisco’s favor.
Taking a quarterback first overall sounds like the kind of move that should change everything right away. Usually, it doesn’t.
Over the past decade, only two non-quarterbacks have gone first overall, and one of them was Myles Garrett in 2017. That pick paid off quickly, even though he played in only 11 games as a rookie and still managed 7 sacks.
The next season, he piled up 13.5.
Quarterbacks have not offered that kind of instant return. Since 2016, eight quarterbacks have gone first overall, and only Baker Mayfield threw for more than 20 touchdowns as a rookie.
He also had 14 interceptions. Of those eight passers, only one helped his team win more than five games in his first season.
That is why an Arch Manning selection would likely mean patience in Arizona and pain in the standings. If the Cardinals end up with him, they would be signing up for a rebuild that stretches beyond the immediate future.
For San Francisco, that would be a welcome development. Manning would need time, and the 49ers would get two chances a year to exploit the growing pains. That matters when the roster around Brock Purdy is built to win now.
Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Mike Evans, and Deebo Samuel are all at least 30 years old, while Trent Williams is close to retirement. Purdy is improving, but the 49ers know this version of the roster won’t last forever. At some point, they’ll have to re-tool as the weapons age out.
Right now, though, they can keep collecting wins while the window is open. A rookie quarterback in the division would be a gift, at least for a little while, and San Francisco would gladly take that edge.
The Rams could complicate things depending on Matthew Stafford’s future, too. He is 38, and there’s no telling when he’ll retire or start to decline. If the 49ers handle their business and the rest of the division starts turning over, they could have a clear path at the top of the NFC West for the near future.
Arch Manning would bring plenty of attention if the Cardinals land the pick. For the 49ers, though, his arrival could mean something else entirely: a division opponent learning on the fly while San Francisco tries to make the most of its championship window.
In Other News...
Brock Purdy Gets A Meaningful Reminder Against Miami This Week
Before Brock Purdy became the 49ers answer at quarterback, Miami offered one of the first real reminders of what he could handle. In Week 7 of the 2022 season, he came off the bench for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo and helped San Francisco beat the Dolphins 33-17, taking on a defense that kept coming after him and still finding ways to stay poised.
Purdy finished that afternoon with a calm, efficient performance that helped reinforce why the 49ers trusted him so quickly. He kept making quick decisions against the blitz and carried that momentum into the rest of his rookie season, long before injuries in the NFC Championship Game finally ended it. [Read more 🡒]
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The 49ers have spent their buildup stressing that the Dolphins deserve real attention, especially up front where pressure on Willis can shape the afternoon. They also know DeVon Achane is the kind of back who can punish any lapse, while Brock Purdys play remains a key part of how smoothly this homestand starts. It is the sort of early-season game that can look manageable on paper and still carry plenty of danger if the 49ers are not sharp from the opening series. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Voice Greg Papa Faces A Serious Fight Fans Didn't Expect
Greg Papa, the longtime voice of 49ers radio broadcasts, is in the middle of a far more serious battle than anything that has played out on the field. He is hospitalized with advanced heart failure, another major health setback after already going through B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and a bone marrow transplant, and the situation has forced him to weigh several treatment paths as he confronts the next stage of his recovery.
For listeners who have come to rely on Papas presence over the years, the news lands hard because it comes with the uncertainty of what happens next. He is considering medication, an LVAD pump or a heart transplant, but even amid that difficult backdrop, Papa has made clear he wants to fight through it and get back behind the microphone. [Read more 🡒]