First-year quarterbacks coach Steve Logan accepted his job with the 49ers based on his relationship with head coach Jim Tomsula, but he was recently asked if the chance to mentor Colin Kaepernick was an incentive.

“Yes,” Logan said, “and Blaine Gabbert as well.”

Really? As it turns out, Logan wasn’t merely being polite.

Logan didn’t view Gabbert as a lost cause, but, possibly, a victim of awful circumstances. Consider: The No. 10 pick in 2011 has had five offensive coordinators in his five seasons and began his career with the Jaguars, who went 11-37 and allowed the third-most sacks (144) in the NFL during his three-year tenure.

The Jaguars clearly didn’t think he had a future: They traded him to the 49ers for a sixth-round pick and Gabbert, 25, met his fourth offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, last year.

“If you do the research of the guys that have come in on a bad football team and boom, boom, boom, you’ve got four different offensive coordinators,” Logan said. “That’s like learning Spanish, French, German and Russian. Just the language alone is enough to drive you crazy. That’s tough stuff now.”

Logan and Gabbert’s fifth offensive coordinator, Geep Chryst, hope Gabbert doesn’t need to take many snaps this season. However, the 49ers will turn to him if Colin Kaepernick is sidelined for the first time in his 39-start career.

It was just the preseason - and Gabbert faced defenses dotted with players no longer employed in the NFL - but he did offer compelling evidence he’s improved this summer. In three preseason games, Gabbert completed 23 of 28 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown (108.8 rating).

Logan says the staff has emphasized repetition and relaxation with Gabbert, a good recipe for any damaged young quarterback. He credits Chryst, then the quarterbacks coach, for starting the process last year when Gabbert was “really scarred up.”

“Can they be fixed? Can they be healed? Yes,” Logan said. “How do you fix them? Give them a menu that’s repetitive, get repetitive with the plays and get them comfortable so they back off the anxiety of their previous experience. Slow the game down: ‘You don’t have to go win every game, let’s build this step by step.’

“That’s been an enjoyable experience for me so far with Blaine and (knocks on desk) right now the arrow is pointing up for that young man, as we sit here right now.”

Gabbert doesn’t lack the requisite size (6-4, 235) or arm strength. In fact, Logan has asked to take some speed off his fastball.

“He’s got a beautiful stroke going right now,” Logan said. “I constantly talk with him about an 85 percent throw because he’s got plenty of pace on the ball. It spins beautifully. And he’s embraced that and so far he’s found a lot of success. We’re just trying to rebuild him, inside-out. And he’s embraced it and that’s to his credit.”

Still, Logan acknowledges not all scarred, highly drafted quarterbacks recover.

David Carr, the No. 1 pick in 2002 of the expansion Texans, led the NFL in sacks taken in three of his first four seasons and was a career backup by his sixth season. Alex Smith, the No. 1 pick in 2005, began his career with a laundry list of offensive coordinators and talent-starved teams, but has thrown 71 touchdowns and 23 interceptions since 2011.

“David Carr -- he never recovered,” Logan said. “Alex did recover. So there’s a lot of hope. There’s lot of hope because there’s a lot of talent in (Gabbert).”

Twitter: @Eric_Branch