Report: 49ers signing Brian Hoyer to 2-year deal

The San Francisco 49ers will soon have themselves a new quarterback.

Veteran signal-caller Brian Hoyer is set to join the 49ers on a two-year contract when free agency opens Thursday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.

The deal includes a base salary of $6 million per season and the opportunity for that number to rise to $9 million if he ends up a productive starter, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Hoyer is hitting the open market having played out a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears. An injury limited him to just six appearances in 2016, but completing 67 percent of his passes for 1,445 yards and six touchdowns made for one of the most productive stretches of his career.

The opportunity to reunite with Kyle Shanahan, who worked with Hoyer during his time as the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator, was presumably a significant factor in the move coming together so quickly.

Hoyer's addition initially seemed to have the potential to squash rumors of the 49ers trading for Kirk Cousins, but a report from NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala suggests that the 49ers won't be precluded from targeting a top pivot. The reported incentive-based nature of the contract supports that notion.

Either way, finding a long-term answer at the quarterback position is still a priority for San Francisco. Whether Hoyer parlays his familiarity with Shanahan's system into a role as a bridge starter or as a top-flight backup likely depends on how the rest of the offseason shakes out.