As the NFL world collectively gasped and reacted to Las Vegas' quarterback situation, the 49ers didn’t bat an eye ahead of their Week 17 matchup against the Raiders on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.
Raiders coach Josh McDaniels announced Wednesday that the team will bench veteran quarterback Derek Carr for Jarrett Stidham in the final two games of the 2022 NFL season.
But it was business as usual in Santa Clara.
“We’re just going to continue doing our thing,” 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward said Wednesday (h/t KRON4’s Kate Rooney). “It’s not going to change on our end. We’re playing for the [No.] 1 or 2 seed, too. So we’re going to come out and still keep our foot on the throttle.”
Stidham was drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots and has thrown just 61 passes in 11 games since then. Sunday will be the first start of his pro career.
Rookie quarterback Chase Garbers will serve as Stidham's backup, while Carr will be inactive and has left the team to avoid “being a distraction,” The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported, citing a source.
“No matter what quarterback is in, they’re going to run their system, they’re going to run their scheme,” 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw said. “They’re going to try to run the ball. They’re going to throw the ball. So for us, it’s just about being on our fundamentals and executing the way that we’re capable of.”
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan is familiar with Stidham’s play, and reacted to the Raiders’ move while speaking with reporters Wednesday.
“I know he’s a talented thrower,” Shanahan said. “We’ve seen him play before, not just at the Senior Bowl, I think we played him a couple of years ago. But he can make every throw, similar to Carr in that way. But he hasn’t been out there a lot so hopefully, we’ll confuse him, and make it tough for him.”
While the Raiders haven't completely been eliminated from AFC playoff contention, the benching appears to signal the end of Carr's time in Silver and Black.
The Athletic's Vic Tafur reported Wednesday that Carr's 2023 contract would have become guaranteed if he had gotten injured before the end of the season, so holding him out of games benefits the team if they plan to move on from the veteran quarterback this offseason.
The structure of Carr's three-year, $121.5 million contract extension makes it easy for the team to go in a different direction after this season.
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Still, Shanahan doesn't give in to any speculation and is proceeding with the week like any other.
"I don’t know why they’re doing it, but it doesn’t matter to me," Shanahan said. "We knew there was a possibility, just looking into it when we started on Monday. But I don’t worry about that with our guys. Our guys know one way to play and I expect to see them that way."
One thing you can count on, though, is that Shanahan and the 49ers are focused on winning their ninth consecutive game on Sunday.