There might have been certain San Francisco 49ers fans that forgot Blaine Gabbert was on their roster, but they will all be reminded come Week 9 as the former first-round draft pick is set to make a start against the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers announced they would be benching Kaepernick for the week and playing Gabbert in an effort to give the starter a mental breather. According to Gabbert, Kaepernick has been nothing but supportive of the move.
Kaepernick has not been made available to the media since the decision was made by head coach Jim Tomsula. However, Gabbert told the media there have been no issues between the two and the quarterbacks are working together heading into Sunday's game.
"Colin's been great," Gabbert said, via SFGate.com. "And I wouldn't expect him to be any other way. We have a great quarterback room. The dynamic between us is wonderful and it's going to continue to be that way."
This opportunity is a chance for Gabbert to show he really can be a starting quarterback in the NFL. After getting drafted at No.10 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, he struggled and then was traded for the backup job in San Francisco. The 49ers view this as a low-risk move considering the team only has two wins on the year while the injuries pile up. Gabbert is hopeful this is not a short-term change, but a role he could have for the remainder of the year.
"I'm just taking it as a chance to go out there and prove to this team what I can do," Gabbert said, via the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's a great opportunity for me to go out there and play against a good Atlanta football team. I'm just going to go out there and enjoy this. It's fun to play ball again, especially in the regular season. We've just got to get something going on offense."
With Kaepernick's future up in the air right now, Gabbert has a shot to prove his worth. However, he will be working with a depleted roster, especially in the run game. Reggie Bush has officially been lost for the season to an ACL tear. Mike Davis is likely out for Week 9 after suffering a fracture in his hand. He has not been at practice this week. Carlos Hyde is also expected to be out while he deals with a stress fracture in his foot. That leaves Gabbert with the newly signed Pierre Thomas and Kendall Gaskins who was called up from the practice squad. That is not the most favorable rotation to work with as Gabbert could be in for a long day against the Falcons.
