The quarterback position of the San Francisco 49ers has garnered a lot of attention this offseason. They dealt with an abnormal number of injuries at the position last season, which thrust Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 NFL Draft, Brock Purdy, into the starting lineup.
He was the third-string quarterback coming into the season, but by Week 13, the team was his to lead. Trey Lance, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, was the starter for less than six quarters before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2. Jimmy Garoppolo took over from that point on before injuring his foot in Week 13.
Purdy was excellent in his time as the starter, helping lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. There they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in large part because of injuries again. Purdy injured his elbow and his backup, Josh Johnson, was also forced from the game.
While Purdy is considered the leader in the clubhouse for the starting job, he cannot currently practice as he recovers from his elbow injury. That has provided Lance with an excellent opportunity to showcase what he can do once again.
Members of the 49ers coaching staff recently made some bold comments about Lance. They feel this is the best he has felt, physically, since joining the team and he is making strides with his performance on the field.
It is something that star running back Christian McCaffrey is also taking notice of. McCaffrey was acquired by San Francisco from the Carolina Panthers after Lance suffered his injury last season, but he has been impressed with what he has seen thus far this offseason.
“I didn’t get to play with Trey last year, but from what I’ve seen so far, Trey has been great,” McCaffrey said during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, via 49ers Web Zone. (H/T The Comeback) “He’s been awesome. And obviously, I’ve played with Sam, and I know what Sam can do, and seeing all the things that he’s been doing this OTAs, too. I think, for us, it’s nice knowing that we have three great options.
It is encouraging to hear about how good Lance has looked this offseason in practice. There is a chance he will be starting games during the 2023 season, as there is no concrete timetable for Purdy’s return to the field.
While the 49ers are hopeful he will be ready to go for Week 1, there is always a chance he is held out longer. In that scenario, it would likely be Lance taking over as the starter, unless he is usurped by Sam Darnold, McCaffrey’s teammate on the Panthers before the regular season starts.
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