When the San Francisco 49ers signed quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason, many assumed it was merely for insurance in case of another injury to Trey Lance or perhaps Brock Purdy.
But since then, a few people have speculated that perhaps Darnold has a chance of actually becoming the starter under center.
During OTAs, Darnold has been getting reps as the team’s starter, something that head coach Kyle Shanahan said he would do along with Lance.
Niners insider David Lombardi of The Athletic says no one should be surprised by this development.
It’s wild that people are surprised that Sam Darnold is getting first-team reps at 49ers practice when Kyle Shanahan has been saying for months that this is exactly what would happen. It shouldn’t be this hard to chart how SF is operating
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) June 1, 2023
Despite being the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft after a nice career at the University of Southern California, the Orange County native has failed to pan out.
In five NFL seasons, he has completed just 59.7 percent of his passes while throwing almost as many interceptions (55) as touchdown passes (61) while posting an anemic 78.2 passer rating.
But with Purdy still recovering from a torn UCL in his elbow that required surgery, San Francisco is apparently doing their due diligence and keeping all options on the table.
It seems like all they need to figure out is who will be their next franchise QB, because they’re chock-full of talent elsewhere.
The 49ers already had the NFL’s best defense last season, but now they have added defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who had 11 sacks last season and will give reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa an excellent pass-rushing partner.
The Philadelphia Eagles may be the favorites to win the NFC again, but the Niners could easily end up with their sixth Super Bowl championship next winter.
NEXT: 49ers Insider Reveals A Recent OTA Focus
