Brock Purdy takes the top quarterback spot on the San Francisco 49ers unofficial depth chart, compiled by the 49ers' football communications staff, before Week 1 of the NFL preseason. But who's next, Trey Lance or Sam Darnold?
Well, that's exactly the answer. After Brock Purdy, the depth chart reads “Trey Lance or Sam Darnold.” This isn't uncommon, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers listed Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask as their starter as well. Generally, the depth chart reads left to right, regardless of the wording. Expect Lance to get the first team reps in the 49ers first NFL preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday if Purdy doesn't play.
The #49ers official unofficial depth chart heading into Week 1 of the preseason. pic.twitter.com/1vBx43X9EC
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) August 8, 2023
However, 49ers fans don't exactly get the answers they're searching for. The team fully cleared Purdy from his elbow surgery this offseason a couple of weeks ago. He was excellent in the games he played last season, but there are still lingering questions. First, will Purdy be the same player coming off elbow surgery on his throwing arm? Second, Purdy's sample size was pretty small in his rookie year, and he was surrounded by All-Pro talent at every position group… Is he actually the guy?
Purdy started five regular season games last year, and the 49ers smoked pretty much everyone they played. He had a 119.0 passer rating through those games. Then, he continued to play at a high level in playoff wins against the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.
The production was elite, and it translated to wins. So, why has there been a quarterback conversation in San Francisco at all this offseason, particularly if Purdy is going to be healthy for the start of the season?
A lot of people feel like any quarterback can win with Kyle Shanahan's scheme and this absolutely stacked roster. The 49ers made a Super Bowl appearance and another NFC Championship Game appearance with Jimmy Garropolo at QB. Sure, Purdy played well in his opportunity, but is he just a product of the system, or is he capable of elevating all of this top-level talent to a Super Bowl winning team?
There's a reason Trey Lance went third overall in his draft, and Purdy went last in his. This isn't a knock on Purdy, but Lance just has higher perceived upside. If he didn't, nobody would be asking about the 49ers quarterback situation.
The other thing about Lance is he has taken just 262 snaps in his career. The 49ers still don't know what they have with him. They obviously thought very highly of him when they spent three first-round picks to get him. If he lights it up in preseason, do the 49ers take another chance on him, or do they stick with Purdy?
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