49ers’ coach Kyle Shanahan perplexed by questions about running quarterbacks

The Trey Lance vs. Jimmy Garoppolo conundrum has morphed into a running debate about the demands of the position other than passing the ball.

To run, or not to run?

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has taken heat for exposing Lance too often as a runner, paying the price when their starting quarterback was lost for the season with a broken right ankle. It happened on his 16th carry in five quarters, including a 19-10 season-opening loss in Chicago.

The Press Democrat’s Inside the 49ers blog

Almost a year ago, Shanahan told ESPN’s Ed Werder, “He’s not Lamar Jackson. Trey is a quarterback who has the ability to run. But to just line him up and run him, I mean, the game’s too physical.”

Asked about it Monday during a conference call, Shanahan seemed more amused than annoyed.

“That means we didn’t want to move him to running back,” Shanahan said. “It means everything is with a read principle and you don’t just go out and run him every single play. He’s a quarterback who can run.”

Shanahan added that he believed the question was in reference to the possibility of using Lance as a running back since there were injuries at the position.

“No, we weren’t going to move him there,” Shanahan said.

Jimmy Garoppolo, who will be the 49ers’ quarterback the rest of the season, health permitting, got into the act late with a read option that came up short of the goal line and then a quarterback sneak for a 1-yard touchdown to put the final touches on a 27-7 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Garoppolo has always been good on quarterback sneaks, whether for a first down or a touchdown. He has a knack for finding a crease and getting a yard. But at the time Sunday, the next quarterback up would have been fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

“A dropback play is more risky than a quarterback sneak,” Shanahan said. “Those are things that really confuse me. I’ve seen guys get killed in the pocket on dropbacks. I’ve never had a quarterback get hurt on a sneak before. Doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It’s football.”

As for the read option plays, the quarterback can protect himself by correctly reading the intent of the defensive end and giving the ball to the back. That’s the way it’s drawn up, anyway.

The bottom line is don’t expect Shanahan to coach in fear of getting his quarterback hurt. Especially when that quarterback — Lance — was coveted specifically because he had running skills which could make him a more dynamic threat.

Otherwise, the 49ers could have just taken Mac Jones instead.

Shanahan didn’t say it this way, but the company line was espoused by radio analyst Tim Ryan on KNBR.

“It’s a brutal game. It’s a hazardous game,” Ryan said. “It was buzzard’s luck. He had his feet in the wrong spot at the wrong time and it go twisted up.”

Lance recovery

Shanahan hadn’t had a chance to talk to Lance following his surgery Monday but planned to after the media call. It’s his expectation that Lance will be doing his rehab at the facility and participating mentally in ways that will help him grow as a quarterback.

“We’re going to want him to be part of everything. Every meeting he can be at, every practice he can be at,” Shanahan said. “We don’t plan on Trey being away from us at all. Whenever he’s not taking care of his ankle, we plan on him being with us.”

Davis-Price, Kroft out

Rookie running back Ty Davis-Price (high ankle sprain) and tight end Tyler Kroft (sprained MCL) will each miss “a few weeks” after being injured against Seattle. Kroft departed the game, but Davis-Price was a surprise, given he carried 14 times for 33 yards with a long gain of 20 in his debut.

The 49ers have also lost Elijah Mitchell for much of the season with an MCL strain.

Undrafted rookie Jordan Mason will be next up, with veteran Marlon Mack also available after what Shanahan said was a good week on the practice squad.

“We never knew that (Davis-Price) was hurt, he was able to go so J.P. (Mason) wasn’t able to get in there on offense,” Shanahan said. “But we’ll have him ready this week.”

Veteran Jeff Wilson Jr. took over for Mitchell as the lead back and gained 84 yards on 18 carries.

“I thought Jeff was a stud,” Shanahan said. “You could see on his first two runs of the game — he got six yards on the first and six on the second against some tough looks. You could just see how hard he was running.”

What about Kittle?

Starting tight end George Kittle was closer to playing in Week 2 than Week 1, but Shanahan was glad to have held him out.

“To be able to pull that game off and still get a win, I’m very glad with the decision we made and should give him a much better chance to be able to go this week,” Shanahan said.

Greenlaw signs extension

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw signed a two-year contract extension through the 2024 season, the 49ers announced.

A fifth-round draft pick (No. 148 overall) out of Arkansas in 2019, Greenlaw has played in 33 game with 25 starts with 196 tackles, four passes defensed, two sacks and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

After missing nine games last season with a groin injury, Greenlaw has played every snap on defense in the 49ers’ first two games against Chicago and Seattle. An elbow injury during training camp, plus a desire to remain with the organization, helped Greenlaw decide to sign an extension rather than test the open market following the season.

“It made me realize any snap could be the last snap,” Greenlaw said. “It kind of gives me the security of knowing I can go out there and play as hard as I can and not have to worry about getting hurt or staying healthy the whole year. I can cut it loose, play ball and have fun. it was a hard decision but it frees up a lot of wondering and allows me to just go.”