The San Francisco 49ers reportedly plan to bench quarterback Colin Kaepernick in favor of backup Blaine Gabbert for Sunday’s upcoming home game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Former 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci isn’t necessarily on board with this decision, and he weighed in with his thoughts on the team’s current status, via mercurynews.com.
“They lost six of their first-rounders. Six. You’re talking about you just got rid of Vernon Davis, and Aldon Smith, and Crabtree and Iupati and Patrick Willis quit, those are all first rounders. they’re gone.”
“Now they’re going to change the quarterback, who they just signed to a mega-deal a year ago. Everybody, their eyebrows are up.”
“I don’t think Blaine Gabbert’s the answer.”
Mariucci did acknowledge that Kap sitting out temporarily to observe from the sidelines could help him get his confidence back. As it stands right now, his confidence level must be at an all-time low after leading the team to only two wins and going scoreless in four of his eight games.
While Kaepernick is certainly having his struggles, many would agree with Mariucci that Gabbert is in now way shape or form a long-term answer to the 49ers woes. During Gabbert’s three-year career with the Jacksonville Jaguars and his time with the 49ers, the quarterback has completed an average of only 53.2 percent of his passes and compiled a terrible 23:24 touchdown to interception ratio.
Gabbert may appear to the the lesser of two evils for now. However, chances are after Kap sits out for his confidence-boosting “break”, he’ll be worked back into action after Gabbert crashes and burns.