SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Sam Darnold is the 49ers’ choice to fulfill their quarterback contingency plan while Brock Purdy recovers from elbow surgery and Trey Lance comes back from a fractured ankle.
This won’t be like Darnold’s entry to the NFL, when the New York Jets drafted him No. 3 overall out of USC to try resurrecting their franchise.
This won’t be like Darnold’s last stop, when he got traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2021, got benched for Baker Mayfield before last season, and couldn’t reverse that team’s downward trend.
Instead, Darnold is joining a 49ers franchise that’s reached the NFC Championship Game three of the past four years, including last season’s appearance that was torpedoed by Purdy’s torn elbow ligament and backup Josh Johnson’s concussion.
Darnold agreed to a one-year deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported.
As enamored as the 49ers remain with Purdy and Lance, they needed a seasoned veteran, and predictably it’s one going on his third team that could revive his stock.
Last year, that job went to Jimmy Garoppolo, who recovered from shoulder surgery, took a pay cut, resurrected his career, broke his foot, and, ultimately, ended his 5 1/2-year tenure Monday in favor of joining the Las Vegas Raiders (three-year, $72.8 million deal).
While the 49ers also bid farewell to right tackle Mike McGlinchey (Denver Broncos), free agency’s opening hours brought the 49ers a major acquisition: defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles squad that beat the 49ers for the NFC Championship.
Darnold, who turns only 26 on June 5, won’t be weighed down by franchise-saving implications. Rather, he offers 55-game starting experience, and he’s been humbled enough that he can retreat to the sideline as a backup.
He’ll also reunite with the 49ers’ offensive catalyst, Christian McCaffrey, who was acquired last season in a trade with the Panthers.
Darnold also should provide enough competition for Lance through the offseason program and training camp, before Purdy’s potential return from last Friday’s repair of his right elbow, in which an internal brace was added to support his ulnar collateral ligament.
Lance is coming off a career-threatening injury, too. He fractured his right ankle Sept. 18, running up the middle behind All-Pro blocker Trent Williams. A follow-up procedure was required Dec. 30 to remove stabilization hardware that was irritating Lance’s tendons. But the third-year pro began throwing last month and should be capable of participating in on-field action when the 49ers’ organized team activities start in two months.
Darnold’s NFL career hasn’t gone as planned after the Orange County native played just two seasons at USC.
He went 13-25 in three seasons as the Jets’ starter, then 8-9 with the Panthers, who traded last year for Baker Mayfield and gave the starting role to him, while Darnold opened the season on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.
Darnold has passed for 11,767 yards (and run for 745 yards) in his NFL career, with 61 touchdown passes, 55 interceptions, 35 fumbles, 143 sacks and a 59.7 completion percentage.
Since coach Kyle Shanahan arrived in 2017, the 49ers have started three quarterbacks in every season except their 2019 run to the Super Bowl with Garoppolo.
