J.T. O’Sullivan will not do. He is a backup quarterback masquerading as a starter. The 49er coach next season — whoever he is — must have a new starting QB. Iggy suggests Matt Cassell of the Patriots. This, to me, is a heck of a suggestion.

Monday night against Denver Cassell threw for three TDs and had zero picks. That’s a lot better than the Niners’ guy nicknamed Just Turn Overs.

Iggy tells me that Cassell is a free agent after this season and the Patriots may not be able to re-sign him after Tom Brady comes back. He says if the Niners can get Cassel they will have a good NFL quarterback and they can draft a quarterback whom they can develop. If they can’t get Cassell, they should get someone like him. They need a QB.

Iggy goes further. He says the Niners should bring in Pete Carroll as head coach/football czar. Carroll coached Cassel at USC, so this is interesting. Iggy and I both believe the 49ers need a football czar over Scot McCloughan. Carroll is a Marin native and was Niner defensive coordinator in 1995 and 1996, so he has 49er roots. “He even looks like Bill Walsh,” Iggy told me.

I don’t think Carroll will want to leave USC, but you never know.

The point is the 49ers have some nice pieces already — a great running back and one great linebacker, for sure. But they will get nowhere without a quarterback.

— Lowell (with help from Iggy)