Despite what has taken place over the last few months, many are still making speculations about the quarterback situation of the San Francisco 49ers.
A good-sized contingent of the team’s supporters feel or think Trey Lance should be the starter under center next season, not Brock Purdy, and a few have even suggested that Sam Darnold, whom the team recently acquired, may be the best bet at QB.
But David Lombardi, who covers the 49ers for The Athletic, notes that nothing has changed on that front.
Nothing at all changed about the 49ers QB situation over the past two days. Shanahan and Lynch simply articulated what roster moves, contractual clues and common sense had already told us.
Yet a segment of social media seems outraged anyway
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) March 29, 2023
– Purdy is the “leader in the clubhouse” (duh)
– Shanahan likes Darnold’s skill set enough enough to give him an opportunity to take over SF’s system (his contract told us exactly that)
– Purdy’s rehab is a major TBD (prior knowledge)
– Lance: promising but unproven (status quo)— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) March 29, 2023
Lance, of course, started last season as their starter, only to suffer a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2.
Once Jimmy Garoppolo, his replacement, went down in Week 13, Purdy took over and played admirably despite being the last player taken in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Although Lance still has plenty of potential, especially because of his ability to run, which is seen as a plus in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, Purdy is the more proven option right now.
Purdy, who had surgery to fix a torn UCL in his throwing elbow earlier in March, is expected to be able to start throwing a football again about 12 weeks after the procedure, and his full recovery window after that will be determined later on.
That could give Lance an opportunity to snatch the QB1 spot, and at the very least, he will have the opportunity to show he has grown immensely during OTAs and the early part of training camp this summer.
But make no mistake: The 49ers’ QB situation seems fluid right now.
NEXT: 49ers Star Is Not Happy About Thursday Night Football Rule Change
