The San Francisco 49ers plan to hold a private workout for quarterback Connor Cook, which on the surface seems like standard procedure, but could be an indicator of the team's draft day plans. Though the 49ers appear to want to keep Colin Kaepernick, they could also stand to bring in another QB to elevate the competition for the starting job.
But drafting Cook would be a clear sign the team believes it has a real chance at losing Kaepernick, if such a trade does not happen before the draft. Plus, a Kaepernick trade would likely add to the 49ers' stockpile of 12 draft picks, giving them more flexibility to take Cook.
The 49ers also have Blaine Gabbert on their roster, and his strong finish to the season after taking over for Kaepernick might just inspire some hope that he could seize the starting QB job this summer. But the 49ers would not be wise to pin their hopes on a QB with a career 71.9 passer rating, regardless of his age and experience.
Hence why Cook makes a great deal of sense of the 49ers. His private workout may be nothing more than due diligence, but if general manager Trent Baalke wants Cook, he might as well get a close look at him. Baalke has a lot of needs to fill, so he may not even hold out hope that Carson Wentz or Jared Goff falls to him with the seventh overall pick.
There are a lot of intriguing defensive players headlining this year's draft class and it almost does not matter which one is available to the 49ers because injuries and retirements have left the team so depleted. But the team could also draft a wide receiver or an offensive lineman, two other top-heavy positions. The point is they are positioned to take the best available player with their first-round pick.
But the team still needs a QB, and Cook is looking increasingly attractive if he is definitely not in the conversation to be a first-round selection. He reportedly had an impressive pro day with his Michigan State teammates, even drawing positive reviews about how he addressed his perceived character flaws.
Cook may not look like the ideal QB to run Chip Kelly's offense, but he has prototypical size and good athleticism. The bottom line for Cook is that he has the basics of the position down pat: good arm, accurate thrower, mechanically sound, decisive and a bookworm when it comes to learning an offense.
He has the kind of weaknesses coaches like Kelly (the offensive-minded, quarterback-friendly type) would be able to fix: how to react to pressure, taking good risks and cycling through progressions.
The 49ers will be monitoring the QB market because the Browns, Jets and Broncos have a more pressing need at the position and are probably seeing the same value in Cook, maybe even as a first-round selection.
