Earlier this year, noted quarterback whisperer Jim Harbaugh took on perhaps his biggest reclamation project yet when the 49ers traded for a failed top-10 pick who had fallen far out of favor in Jacksonville.
Blaine Gabbert, former Jaguar, arrived in San Francisco in March. Via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, Gabbert has emerged through offseason workouts as the primary backup to starter Colin Kaepernick.
“I just came in here and tried to put my best foot forward every day and really enjoy the process and get better on a consistent basis,” Gabbert said, via Maiocco. “That’s what you look for in the spring -- just consistent improvement and getting comfortable in the offense and with the new surroundings and the new guys you’re working with.”
Part of getting comfortable includes asking questions. The team likes the questions he’s asking."[I’m] excited about Blaine,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said this week to Harbaugh while Roman wore a microphone for the team’s website. “He asks all the right questions.”
He may end up having all the right answers, if the 49ers ever need to use him. Drafted nearly a full round before Kaepernick, Gabbert was deemed to have far more potential than the man he now sits behind on the depth chart.
Who knows that the future will hold? If Harbaugh can do with Gabbert what Harbaugh has done with others, Gabbert could become what everyone expected him to be in 2011.
And if, say, Kaepernick gets injured and Gabbert comes in and plays extremely well and Harbaugh decides to stick with the guy with the hot hand and Gabbert takes the team deep into January, maybe Kaepernick will get the Alex Smith treatment.