The San Francisco 49ers are poised to enter the 2023 season with one of the best quarterback rosters in recent memory among NFL teams. With NFC title game leader Brock Purdy, Trey Lance, and new addition Sam Darnold all manning the same QB room, the competition is expected to be fierce.

The 49ers have at least three potential trade candidates heading into training camp on the roster, and Darnold is one of them. Former 49ers QB Alex Smith weighed in on the Brock Purdy injury situation recently.

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan also spoke on the team's pending quarterback race, choosing to see the glut of players as a positive instead of a problem.

“We've got three guys who can play, and there's only one spot, and we have a good team,” Shanahan told NFL Network's Steve Wyche. “So I see it as a cool situation. And last year, we had some unknown.”

Lance was the starting QB heading into last season but didn't finish it that way due to an ankle injury.

“We believed in Trey, but he hadn't gone out and done it yet,” Shanahan said. “But we believed in him. We got to see him for a year and a half, and what he could do, and he lost that opportunity, which happens in football.”

Shanahan continued, discussing the Brock Purdy situation. He said that nothing is set in stone as the 2023 race shapes up. The team has several trade candidates heading into the mid-to-late summer season.

“And we had another guy come in, very similar to Trey, but less reps and stuff,” Shanahan said. “And Brock got that opportunity. So now we're in this situation, and it's just—I get how everyone wants something set in stone, but it's not set in stone. But I love the options, and I love the experience that Brock got.