49ers' Christian McCaffrey praises Sam Darnold amid Trey Lance rumors

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has offered high praise for free-agency signing Sam Darnold amid trade rumors hovering over the status of Trey Lance this spring. 

"Sam’s great. He can do everything. He can make any throw," McCaffrey said during a news conference, as shared by Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "He’s smart. He’s able to pick things up quickly and do his job. He doesn’t play beyond anything and just does exactly what he’s told all the time and then adds a lot of flare to it too." 

McCaffrey first had Darnold as a teammate with the Carolina Panthers from the spring of 2021 until the star ball-carrier was sent to the 49ers ahead of last fall's trade deadline.

Darnold signed a relatively inexpensive deal with the 49ers in March before rumors emerged about San Francisco general manager John Lynch taking trade calls regarding Lance this offseason. On Monday, Lynch said he is not actively shopping the 2021 first-round draft pick and that he expects Lance will remain with the club as 2022 rookie sensation Brock Purdy recovers from surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Multiple NFL insiders have suggested that Darnold will defeat Lance if head coach Kyle Shanahan holds a legitimate quarterback competition later this summer. McCaffrey added he recruited Darnold by telling the signal-caller he'd have "a lot of weapons" and "an unbelievable mind calling plays" in San Francisco. 

It seems likely Purdy won't be cleared to face live defenses before late September. While the 23-year-old is Lynch's chosen QB1 when healthy, Darnold should receive an opportunity to prove he and not Lance is Shanahan's best option at the position during training camp practices and preseason games.