49ers Showcase Two Quarterback System in Preseason Finale Against Raiders

Did the San Francisco 49ers just hint at what their offense will look like?

Did the San Francisco 49ers just hint at what their offense will look like?

The 49ers showcased a two quarterback system in the preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders. Both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance were rotated in with each other for the first couple of series of the game. 

It was bizarre to see, but not shocking as this is what it looked like at practice on Tuesday. This is a new dynamic that Kyle Shanahan has been experimenting with and it could be how it looks like for the entire season. The 49ers were quite explosive on their drives when they shuffled their quarterbacks. 

As he was heading into the locker room at halftime, Shanahan was asked if this is what the offense will look like this year and he answered "probably not." This is the preseason after all, so this is the time for Shanahan to approach and call this game in an oddly manner. On Friday, Shanahan gave his thoughts on trying out the two quarterback system. 

"We're working through everything and trying to figure everything out. Seeing what they're good at, what they can help us with on the team, how to balance stuff out, and that's why we are practicing everything. I’ve never been in a situation where I had a skillset where I had two guys like that you could practice it and that's what we're finding out.”

Shanahan is just playing around with the formula of the offense and seeing how it fairs. However, I wouldn't be so quick as to believe Shanahan's words. The rotation may not be as constant as the preseason finale, but I would bet that Lance see's five-to-eight snaps a game. So a sliver of what was showcased today will be seen in spots throughout the season.

This is a system I do not think will sustain itself by the time the mid-to-late season arrives. Shanahan is trying to combine both the traits of Lance and Garoppolo simultaneously to optimize his offense and keep the defense guessing. The New Orleans Saints are able to execute it soundly, but the 49ers actually have a solid passer in Lance as opposed to Taysom Hill.

If anything, there was nothing to learn from the two quarterback system as the running game was the one that lead the charge. This system cannot be held firm by the 49ers for longevity purposes, but by then Lance should be anchoring the starting role. Aside from seeing the circus act of the rotating quarterbacks, seeing the starters on display was a breath of excitement. The defense looks poised to be it's elite form again as well as the running game lead by Raheem Mostert.

Whenever Shanahan decides to roll with Lance out there, he will have such a strong supporting cast that his growing pains should be manageable.