Joe Montana Says Blaine Gabbert Is a Keeper

Blaine Gabbert and the 49ers have looked plucky for two games in a row. Two weeks ago, in a loss to the Cardinals (and the refs), Gabbert threw for over 300 yards, and last week San Francisco won in Chicago. While Gabbert hasn’t been a superstar or anything, he’s shown glimpses of serviceability, which has defied expectations.

Joe Montana, for one, has been impressed. He told Sporting News:

"“He has the athleticism to make defenses think about his running,” Montana said. “If things break down, he can still get out of trouble and make plays downfield, not only with his arm, but his legs, too.” […] “He’s definitely someone you need to keep around,” Montana said. “He’s proved he can not only play at the level to win games, but also in that offense. That’s key in proving his worth to the team. I don’t know what will happen with Colin or what their plans are with him, but at this point at time, I don’t think you let Blaine get away.”"

Given that I don’t think Colin Kaepernick will actually be back in San Francisco, it does make sense to bring Gabbert back next season, at least as a backup. However, I’d be careful about pegging long-term plans to him. That overtime victory over the Bears looks gutty, but the course of history is altered if Robbie Gould does not uncharacteristically miss a couple of chip shots. We’ll get another month to see if Blaine Gabbert is worth consideration to be an NFL starter, but he has not definitively shown that yet.

[Photo by Dennis Wierzbicki/USA Today Sports Images]