Insider offers surprising prediction for 49ers' Week 1 starting QB

Has the plot thickened at QB for the San Francisco 49ers?

On Tuesday at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said QB Brock Purdy could be out six to eight months following surgery for a torn UCL in his throwing arm. The rookie sensation suffered the injury in the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles.

Rapoport also offered a surprising prediction regarding San Francisco's Week 1 starter in September: Sam Darnold.

"[Shanahan] opened up the door, potentially, for Brock Purdy not even being ready by Week 4," Rapoport said on NFL Network. "That would be significant and explains why the signing of Sam Darnold was so important. We do not know what Trey Lance is going to be. If he continues the trajectory that he's been on, I think certainly Sam Darnold will more likely than not be the starter going into the season."

Darnold getting the starting job hinges on multiple factors. The first is the timetable in which Purdy is ready to throw again. Secondly, Darnold would have to win the competition that Shanahan has hinted will be between him and Lance.

Darnold recently signed a one-year contract with San Francisco after spending the past two years in Carolina.

With Jimmy Garoppolo now a Raider, Darnold — who is 21-34 as a starter — is the veteran in the 49ers QB room. Although he started only six games last season, he set career highs with a 92.6 passer rating and 48.5 QBR. The Panthers, who finished 7-10, won four of his six starts.

Lance, the third overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, has not played much for the Niners.

After two starts during his rookie year backing up Garoppolo, he was expected to take over as starter in 2022. However, those plans ended when he suffered an ankle fracture in Week 2 and missed the rest of the season. 

San Francisco's QB situation involved plenty of intrigue in 2022. It may involve more in 2023.