According to information provided by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers’ choice to forego selecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL draft may have indirectly contributed to the team’s acquisition of quarterback Brock Purdy in 2022.
The 49ers had the second overall pick in that draft, which could have allowed them to select quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
But as Schefter reports, the 49ers took the odd choice to forgo devoting much time or resources to Mahomes’ pre-draft evaluation.
Schefter claims that the 49ers’ belief that Kirk Cousins would be leaving the Washington Football Team in the upcoming offseason was the cause of this oversight.
The organization felt there would be no need for a quarterback study because Cousins would inevitably decide to sign with the 49ers.
When New England is involved as the offseason draws near, the plot becomes more complex.
In communication with San Francisco, the Patriots conveyed the necessity of splitting with Jimmy Garoppolo and suggested a trade in exchange for a second-round selection.
Kirk Cousins’s expected arrival was delayed when the 49ers accepted the deal after being presented with this unanticipated opportunity.
Going back to the 2017 draft, Schefter disclosed that the 49ers did not conduct a thorough assessment of quarterbacks, with the exception of one surprising development: they ultimately elected to trade up to select CJ Beathard in the third round.