Brian Hoyer undoubtedly has emerged as the 49ers’ best of four quarterbacks with a week left in the offseason program. Can he throw an effective deep ball, however?

His coaches and teammates swear he can – and he must.

“Yeah, to play in this offense, you’re going to have to be able to push the ball down the field,” quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello said.

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“Brian can throw the deep ball,” Garçon insisted. “That definitely opens everything else for our offense, especially with Marquise (Goodwin) and Aldrick (Robinson) and those guys going deep.

“It’s a thing we need,” Garçon added. “Brian has overthrown them in practice a couple times but it’s a good weapon to have.”

Hoyer rarely has gone deep in the limited practices watched by the media this offseason. His longest pass Wednesday – about 30 yards down the hashes – sailed over tight end Blake Bell, who was covered well by NaVorro Bowman.

“He has great arm talent,” Scangarello said. “It’s probably an underrated quality that people don’t necessarily realize. But Brian can really spin the football.”

Hoyer’s play-action ability, grasp of the scheme and overall leadership have been quite evident.

But what about the deep ball?

“He can throw the ball down the field pretty well. He can launch that thing,” added receivers coach Mike LaFleur. “For him right now, it’s just getting used to our receivers and the angles they’re taking, because it takes time. It took Matt and Julio time.”

LeFleur and Shanahan flourished as Atlanta Falcons assistants last year behind MVP-winning quarterback Matt Ryan and All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones.

“Most of the quarterbacks that have been successful for Coach (Kyle) Shanahan had that ability, and Brian has that ability,” Scangarello said. “That was a nice part about bringing him back: we knew that quality about him.”

Hoyer averaged a career-best 7.6 yards per attempt when Shanahan was his offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns. In that 2014 season, Hoyer graded as the fourth-best passer of throws from 21 to 30 yards, but he was near the bottom beyond that range, according to Pro Football Focus.

Ryan had a career-best 9.3-ypa average last season en route to MVP honors, and Robert Griffin III topped out his rookie year in 2012 at 8.1-ypa under Shanahan’s direction.

After ending his 2015 Houston Texans cameo with four interceptions and a fumble in a playoff shutout, Hoyer matched his career average of 7.2 yards per attempt last season with the Chicago Bears, while going 1-4 as a starter. (Former 49ers starter Colin Kaepernick’s career average is 7.3 yards per attempt.)

“It’s going to take the guys we have time – the Pierres, the Aldricks, the Marquises – to get that rhythm, what angle, how far can he actually throw it,” LaFleur added. “I know Hoyer has a lot of confidence in his arm how far he can throw it, and we have some guys that can run and get down the field.”

Rookie C.J. Beathard hasn’t been shy about uncorking down-field shots, although he failed to complete such bombs Thursday to Goodwin and rookie B.J. Johnson.

“He’s done a nice job,” Scangarello said of Beathard. “Everything we possibly could have asked of the guy he’s embraced it. He definitely has a confidence that comes from within inside in a very positive way.”

— First-round draft pick Reuben Foster, the 31st overall selection, signed his contract Friday. Top pick Solomon Thomas and third-round selection Beathard remain unsigned out of the 10-man draft class.