49ers To Work Out QB Matt Simms
The 49ers’ quarterback tryouts on Tuesday will include Matt Simms, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Simms will join Tom Savage, Kellen Clemens, and T.J. Yates in the audition, and there could be more QBs to come. 
Simms, who turns 30 on Thursday, is the son of Phil Simms. He appeared in four games for the Jets between 2013 and 2014, but has not seen the field since then. In recent years, he has spent time on the Falcons’ practice squad.
The workout will not include former Dolphins QB Matt Moore, although the 49ers did speak to his representatives. The 34-year-old is still weighing his options regarding an NFL return, his agent tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter).
49ers Promote Nick Mullens From P-Squad
The 49ers will promote quarterback Nick Mullens from the practice squad, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. Mullens will serve as the No. 2 quarterback behind C.J. Beathard, who has been promoted to the top job after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s ACL tear. 
The Niners’ QB search isn’t necessarily done there. On Tuesday, they’ll work out a group of veteran QBs including Tom Savage, T.J. Yates, and Kellen Clemens. Former Dolphins backup Matt Moore may also take part in the audition. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already said that the team won’t bring in any competition for Beathard, so any quarterback signed would be added as a backup.
Mullens, a Southern Mississippi product, threw for 87 touchdowns against 46 interceptions across his four-year collegiate career. He spent time in camp with the club last offseason and was re-signed on a futures deal this past January.
The 1-2 49ers will have their work cut out for them without Garoppolo and their first test comes on Sunday against the Chargers.
49ers Hosting Group Of Veteran QB’s
In the wake of Jimmy Garoppolo‘s ACL tear that will sideline him for the rest of the 2018 season, the 49ers are making moves to bolster their quarterback room, as the team will host a group of veteran signal callers according to head coach Kyle Shanahan (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN).
The quarterbacks coming in for workouts tomorrow include Tom Savage, T.J. Yates, and Kellen Clemens. Wagoner adds that Shanahan said Matt Moore is “another possibility” and that Nick Mullens would likely be activated from the practice squad. Shanahan has already said that the team won’t bring in any competition for C.J. Beathard, so any quarterback signed would be added solely as a backup to Beathard.
Savage started seven games for the Texans last year, but found himself released by the Saints at final cuts after New Orleans traded for Teddy Bridgewater. Yates also most recently spent time with the Texans, starting three games for them last year. He’s bounced around the league as a spot starter, and even won a playoff game for the Texans a few years back. Clemens just recently saw his long tenure as backup to Philip Rivers come to an end when the Chargers decided not to re-sign him after the 2017 season. Clemens hasn’t seen meaningful action in a long time, as Rivers never missed a start during Clemens’ run with the Chargers.
Overall, it’s not exactly an inspiring group. Beathard should have no trouble keeping the starting job the rest of the way assuming he can stay healthy, and it’s possible the team opts to just stick with Mullens as their backup. Mullens was an undrafted free agent in 2017 who has stuck around on San Francisco’s practice squad.
49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo Done For Season
The 49ers’ worst fear has been confirmed. On Monday, an MRI revealed that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has suffered a season-ending ACL tear, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Niners will place Garoppolo on injured reserve, opening up a spot on the roster that will surely be filled by another quarterback. 
The 49ers, for now, will turn the starting job over to backup C.J. Beathard. After the second-year QB went 1-4 in five starts last year, it’s far from an ideal situation for San Francisco. If the 49ers seek outside help, they may want to give the Browns a call to see what it would take to acquire Tyrod Taylor, who has lost his starting job to rookie Baker Mayfield.
The free agent market, which may or may not include retired signal caller Jay Cutler, doesn’t have much to offer the 49ers. Colin Kaepernick may represent the most talented available QB at this time, but he’s unlikely to return to SF for obvious reasons. On Sunday, we heard that the Niners are unlikely to bring in competition for Beathard, but that thinking could easily change.
The 49ers picked up Garoppolo from the Patriots in exchange for a second-round pick last November, and subsequently inked him to a five-year, $137.5MM extension. Tom Brady‘s former protege won all five of his starts in the Bay Area last year, but was off to a so-so start in 2018. In three starts, Garoppolo went 1-2 with three interceptions against five touchdowns.
49ers’ Richard Sherman To Miss Time
49ers cornerback Richard Sherman will miss a few weeks with a mild calf strain, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It’s not ideal, but after a weekend of serious injuries in the NFL, it’s certainly not the worst news that the Niners could have received. 
Sherman, 30, joined the Niners on a three-year, $21.15MM deal this offseason. The veteran can earn another $18MM by way of per-game roster bonuses, playing-time incentives, and other sweeteners, but his injury will hinder his earning potential in 2018.
Sherman has yet to record an interception for his new club, but he has been one of the ten best corners in the NFL thus far, according to Pro Football Focus. Before his injury on Sunday, Sherman looked sharp as he made some big plays, including a touchdown-saving pass breakup while guarding Chiefs speedster Tyreek Hill.
Without Sherman, it’s likely that Ahkello Witherspoon and Jimmie Ward will be used as the club’s starting outside cornerbacks with K’Waun Williams remaining in the slot.
49ers Unlikely To Bring In Competition For Beathard
The 49ers are dealing with the devastating loss of Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn ACL that will cut his 2018 short. 2017 third round pick C.J. Beathard stepped in to replace Garoppolo against the Chiefs and will now move up to number one on San Francisco’s depth chart.
Despite Beathard’s lack of success as a starter last year, it doesn’t look like the team will be bringing in any outside competition to push Beathard for the starting job. While he notes the 49ers will “obviously” need to bring in an additional signal caller to back Beathard up, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle passes along that 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said he “didn’t anticipate 49ers bringing in a QB to compete with C.J. Beathard as starter” (Twitter link).
Beathard, a former Iowa Hawkeye, started five games for the 49ers last year and appeared in seven. He completed 54.9% of his passes for 1,430 yards, four touchdowns, and six interceptions. The 49ers won just one of the games he appeared in, and he mostly struggled during his time as the team’s starter. After the 49ers acquired Garoppolo in a trade with the Patriots, Beathard quickly relinquished his starting duties.
There was a ton of optimism surrounding the 49ers heading into 2018, as they were expected to make a major leap in Shanahan’s second season. They lost a close game to the Vikings in Week 1 and beat the Lions last week to improve to 1-1. They now sit at 1-2 and face a tough upcoming schedule, with three out of their next four games against the Chargers, Packers, and Rams. With no big-name signing or trade forthcoming, it looks like it’ll be Beathard the rest of the way.
49ers Fear Jimmy Garoppolo Has Torn ACL
The 49ers fear starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a serious knee injury in Week 3’s contest against the Chiefs, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted following the game that an ACL tear is the fear for Garoppolo, and an MRI could confirm the news by Monday.
Garoppolo took a hit while running along the sideline in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game and looked to have injured his left knee. Trainers escorted him off the field via cart, and he was quickly ruled out for the remainder of Week action.
Losing Garoppolo would be a devastating blow for a 49ers team that had playoff aspirations entering the 2018 campaign. San Francisco has already lost one if its projected offensive focal points — free agent addition Jerick McKinnon — for the year after he suffered a torn ACL during training camp. Another knee injury, this time to Garoppolo, could further derail San Francisco’s postseason hopes.
With Garoppolo sidelined, the 49ers turned to backup C.J. Beathard for the remainder of their loss to the Chiefs. Beathard, a third-round pick in the 2017 draft, started five games for San Francisco before it acquired Garoppolo near last year’s trade deadline. The Iowa product completed 55% of his passes for 1,430 yards, four touchdowns, and six interceptions, and posted the second-lowest passer rating among NFL quarterbacks with at least 200 attempts.
The 49ers picked up Garoppolo from the Patriots in exchange for a second-round pick last November, and subsequently inked him to a five-year, $137.5MM extension after he won all five of his starts in the Bay Area. Through two starts this season, Garoppolo had managed 467 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
49ers Release LB Terence Garvin
Terence Garvin‘s 49ers stay may end up being brief. Signed during Reuben Foster‘s suspension, Garvin received notice Saturday he’s being cut.
The 49ers announced they’ve released Garvin and promoted defensive back Tyvis Powell from the practice squad. Foster is set to make his season debut Sunday against the Chiefs.
This marks the second time Garvin’s been released in a month. He signed with the Dolphins as a free agent this offseason but did not make Miami’s 53-man roster. The 49ers added him as insurance shortly after Week 1 and deployed him as a backup against the Lions last week.
Since Garvin is a sixth-year veteran, he does not have to pass through waivers at this point on the NFL calendar. Garvin’s played for the Steelers, Redskins, Seahawks and 49ers, spending three years in Pittsburgh and starting three games in Seattle last season.
Powell played in three games for the 49ers last season. He spent time with the Seahawks in 2016. San Francisco starting safety Jaquiski Tartt is questionable for Sunday’s game, perhaps prompting the team to add depth in its secondary. Both Richard Sherman and Akhello Witherspoon were limited this week in practice, although both upgraded to full work by Friday.
49ers Backed Out Of Josh Gordon Chase
Before the Patriots acquired Josh Gordon, the 49ers were among the clubs to contact the Browns about Josh Gordon. Apparently, their interest didn’t last long. Niners GM John Lynch admits that he kicked the tires on the talented wide receiver, but ultimately it wasn’t worth the risk. 
“I think in that situation, like any situation, if there’s a chance to improve your team, you always look into it,” Lynch said on KNBR (transcription via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “But in certain situations, particularly when you have knowledge of a player, you sit back and you weigh it. Sometimes it’s intriguing. But then, particularly when you have knowledge of someone, the more you look into it: You know what — we’re going to stay away from that.”
Clearly, Gordon’s previous trouble hurt his trade value. The Patriots first agreed to send a fifth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Gordon and a conditional seventh-round pick. Then, at the last minute, the Pats convinced the Browns to remove the conditions from the late selection, which essentially knocked the total price down to a sixth-rounder. Had there been comparable proposals elsewhere, one has to imagine the Browns would have pivoted to another team.
The 49ers may or may not regret the decision to pass on Gordon as they gear up for a Week 3 shootout against the Chiefs. Meanwhile, Gordon’s Patriots debut is expected to come on Sunday against the Lions.
49ers Activate LB Reuben Foster
The 49ers have activated linebacker Reuben Foster from the suspended list and released offensive tackle Matt Tobin, the club announced today.
Foster never actually suffered any legal consequences as the result of several off-field incidents during the offseason, but the NFL still suspended him two games for violating the league’s conduct and substance abuse policies. The 31st overall pick in the 2017 draft, Foster was outstanding in his 10-game rookie season, posting 59 tackles in total. He should slide back in as San Francisco’s weak side linebacker while veteran Malcolm Smith moves to the strong side.
Tobin, 30, boasts 57 games of pro experience with the Eagles and Seahawks, but he’d been inactive for each of the 49ers’ first two games. He signed with the Patriots this offseason but was released during final cutdowns, and signed with the 49ers two days later.