The San Francisco 49ers have another QB conundrum, but the waters may not be as murky as they have been in years past depending on Brock Purdy’s health. However, as things stand, general manager John Lynch told reporters on Monday that they plan to participate in the offseason program and training camp later this summer with Purdy, Trey Lance and recently signed Sam Darnold all vying for the runway for 2023.
That said, Lynch also heaped praise on Purdy, who is recovering from off-season elbow surgery, calling him “the leader in the clubhouse” as it relates to which player has the inside track to eventually get the job .
“I think Brock has earned the right with the way he played that he’s probably the leader in the clubhouse,” Lynch said via ESPN. “If we were in line, he’d probably get that first shot.”
Purdy underwent surgery to repair his UCL earlier this month and the team still expects him to pitch again about three months after surgery. Lynch added on Monday that the team hopes “he is ready to go on training camp”.
When Purdy goes all out for training camp, it makes for a fascinating game. While Darnold should be considered more of a veteran at this point in his career, the battle between Purdy and Lance puts the organization in a precarious position. After all, San Francisco traded three first-round picks to move up to the No. 3 overall pick in 2021 to select Lance, but he’s yet to really show himself as the cornerstone of the franchise. He was a backup to Jimmy Garoppolo for most of his rookie season and suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 last year.
Meanwhile, Purdy – who played Mr. Irrelevant was – in after both Lance and Garoppolo got injured and played at a very high level. He helped take the Niners to the NFC Championship and might have progressed even further had he not suffered that elbow injury early in that game.
Given that background, Purdy presents a familiar product to the Niners as someone who can take them to the threshold of the Super Bowl. That said, they have yet to see any returns on their blockbuster trade to get Lance and may want to push through with that investment if he shows a glimpse of his potential between now and Week 1.