49ers to sign QB Brian Hoyer ... so what does that mean for Kirk Cousins pursuit?

The San Francisco 49ers are moving quickly to replenish their depleted roster, and they helped that process by locking in a quarterback who has starting experience under new head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Brian Hoyer, who spent a year with Shanahan in 2014, will sign with the 49ers — even if his exact role remains unclear. Shanahan was the Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator that season, and he seemed to get the best out of Hoyer early on that year before he faded down the stretch, throwing nine interceptions in the final five game with a 1-5 record.

But many forget Hoyer won five of his first seven starts that season and played some of the best ball of his career. He also played pretty darned well for the Chicago Bears last season, all things considered, completing 134-of-200 passes (66.0 percent) for 1,445 yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions in six games (five starts) before suffering a season-ending broken left arm.

So could Shanahan be bringing in Hoyer, 31, as a bridge starter to pair with a rookie quarterback — perhaps one the 49ers draft with the No. 2 selection?

Maybe. But it’s too way soon so say that the Cousins talks are completely dead. Hoyer has a two-year deal, and the money is expected to be fairly modest. The Arizona Cardinals currently are slated to spend more than $28.7 million of their salary cap — almost 20 percent — at the quarterback position. If the 49ers can find a way to pry loose Cousins from the Washington Redskins at a desirable price, it’s still feasible they could swing a deal.

More likely would appear to be Option A. Hoyer could start until whatever handpicked rookie QB Shanahan and GM John Lynch choose is ready. GM John Lynch said at the NFL scouting combine he was “excited about” the draft’s QB offerings, but Shanahan said late last week that he was still catching up on what potential rookies might offer.

Still, it would be highly unlikely that the 49ers would end their pursuit of Cousins because of Hoyer. He will be the only quarterback on the roster when the ink dries, so it’s likely the 49ers will use multiple means to fill out the depth chart there. If anything, signing Hoyer allows the 49ers great flexibility here; they don’t have to add Cousins if they don’t want, and that could subtly lower the price the Redskins might be able to get for him if there are not multiple teams involved in a potential trade.

Whoever the starter is, they’ll have newly added receivers Marquise Goodwin and Pierre Garcon to throw to, as the coaching staff remakes a position that was very lean last season under Chip Kelly. Shanahan had Garcon with the Washington Redskins, and he likely will step into a featured pass-catching role. The former Atlanta Falcons coordinator also worked wonders with Taylor Gabriel last season, and Goodwin always has had — like Gabriel — one elite trait: deep speed.