Leading up to the 2022 campaign, the San Francisco 49ers believed they had a long-term plan in place. They were going to jettison quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (now with the Las Vegas Raiders) and turn the offense over to QB Trey Lance, drafted third overall in 2021. It didn’t work out that way. The 49ers found no market for an injured Garoppolo, and Lance would suffer a second-ending broken ankle in Week 2. Jimmy G took over before suffering a broken foot that ended his 2022 as well and paved the way for rookie Brock Purdy, who won every outing he started until the NFC Championship Game.
It was in the NFCCG when Purdy suffered an elbow injury that required surgery in March, which doubtless played a role in the team signing free-agent QB Sam Darnold (Carolina Panthers). Darnold, himself a former No. 3 overall pick, assumes the veteran mantle opened by the departure of Garoppolo. Now the question becomes where things stand with San Francisco’s quarterback situation.
Brock Purdy
Selected with the final pick in the 2022 draft, Purdy became QB1 on Dec. 11, winning the first of seven consecutive starts. Outside of the team’s Wild Card win over the Seattle Seahawks, when he passed for 332 yards and three TDs, the numbers were never huge for the Iowa State product. Over his five starts in the regular season, Purdy averaged 219.6 yards passing and 2.2 TDs. He operated as purely a pocket passer, running for a minuscule 13 yards on 22 attempts.
Purdy looked like a natural executing head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, however, and he entered the offseason with a leg up on the starting role, pending his recovery from a torn UCL in his throwing elbow. He recently returned to the practice field and is receiving first-team reps, though Purdy is set to practice two out of every three days as he works his way back into form.
Trey Lance
The 49ers expected big things out of Lance when they traded four selections, including three first-round picks, to move up and grab him in 2021. He flashed early on before breaking a bone in his right index finger that affected his mechanics, requiring him to refine them during last offseason. The team elected to move forward with Lance as QB1, but he lost in Week 1 to the Chicago Bears and would suffer his season-ending injury the following Sunday.
There were rumblings during the offseason that San Francisco was amenable to trading Lance, though those are unconfirmed. Still, it certainly appears that the third-year pro is on the outside looking in as his skill set doesn’t fit the mold of what Shanahan values from his quarterbacks.
Sam Darnold
Outside of some occasional flashes, Darnold hasn’t shown anything to suggest he deserved to be the third pick in 2018 during five seasons with the Panthers and New York Jets. That includes two seasons with more INTs than TDs in 2020 and 2021. Despite his struggles, there is a camp out there who believes the USC alum’s difficulties in the NFL are a byproduct of poor situations rather than his own shortcomings.
Those same people think that the 49ers run an ideal offense for Darnold, who was reportedly highly regarded by the club before the draft. Without question, San Francisco offers more talent at the skill positions than anything Darnold has enjoyed in his previous two stops, featuring Pro Bowl players at running back, tight end, and wide receiver. If pressed into action, there are those around the NFL that believe Darnold’s athleticism and ability to get the ball out quickly will allow him to succeed.
Fantasy football outlook
Barring some sort of setback, Purdy figures to be the starter in Week 1. The offense ran at near optimum efficiency during his time under center, and had he not been injured early on against the Philadelphia Eagles it’s entirely possible the 49ers might’ve hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. While he may have earned the right to get first shot, it’s not ideal for fantasy owners as Purdy has no small amount of Jimmy G in him statistically, and that includes a disdain for running. Still, he might be a low-end QB2 with continued maturation as a passer.
Lance and Darnold offer more athletically, though if Purdy stakes his claim to the top job the 49ers could consider trading one of them if a market develops. Neither is worth drafting, though if pressed into action they’d be possible inseason additions.
