The San Francisco 49ers don’t really have a quarterback competition. Brock Purdy will be the club’s starter, assuming — as everyone in the 49ers’ organization seems to be — that he’s ready for Week 1 after recovering from a torn UCL.
But with Purdy not expected to suit up for the 49ers’ first preseason game, Trey Lance and Sam Darnold will conduct a mini-battle of their own for the right to back up Purdy. And as we saw in 2022, San Francisco’s QB2 job can become a very lucrative gig.
What the 49ers’ Preseason Means for Trey Lance and Sam Darnold
Purdy has been working on a revised training camp schedule that allows for off days as he recovers from the offseason surgery that corrected his injured UCL. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Monday that Purdy is expected to resume practicing in full by next week.
While Purdy will take part in joint practice sessions against the Raiders this week, Shanahan said he “doubts” the second-year quarterback will play against Las Vegas in the 49ers’ first preseason game. Shanahan cautioned he could change his mind before Sunday’s game, but holding Purdy out is the plan for now.
With Purdy sidelined, Lance and Darnold should each see ample reps under center as they vie to become San Francisco’s No. 2 quarterback. Fourth-stringer Brandon Allen will likely handle some, too, but Lance and Darnold should take the bulk of the snaps.
The 49ers are hardly strangers to running through multiple quarterbacks in a season. Last year, injuries to Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo forced Purdy into the starting lineup in his rookie campaign.
After Purdy went down in the NFC title game, San Francisco had to turn to journeyman Josh Johnson, who subsequently suffered an injury of his own.
Purdy and Garoppolo both proved how advantageous it can be to earn snaps in a Shanahan-designed offense. Purdy is now a starting NFL quarterback just one year after becoming “Mr. Irrelevant” as the final pick of the 2022 draft, while Garoppolo secured $33.75 million in guarantees from the Raiders this offseason.
Darnold and Lance are both former No. 3 overall selections. Darnold has shown flashes of the talent that made him a coveted prospect in the 2018 draft but never fully put things together with the Jets or Panthers. Lance’s athletic prowess was special enough that the 49ers sacrificed three first-round choices to land him in 2021.
If Purdy suffers a setback or goes down again next season, either Darnold or Lance could be in a position to capitalize inside a 49ers offense loaded with weapons.
With a successful season (or even a few solid games), Darnold could find a significant contract waiting in free agency. If Lance shines in a starting opportunity, San Francisco could dangle either him or Purdy as trade bait next offseason.
Darnold and Lance have split reps thus far during 49ers camp. How these quarterbacks perform in San Francisco’s first preseason game won’t end their QB2 competition, but it will give the club an idea of where things stand.
