Subscribe
Follow Us
After losing Jimmy Garoppolo to the Las Vegas Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers replaced him with Sam Darnold. As Darnold gets ready to join the 49ers, the quarterback understands exactly what his role next to Brock Purdy and Trey Lance.
The 49ers signed Darnold to a one-year, $4.5 million contract. While Darnold has spent the majority of his career as a starting quarterback, he knows that Purdy and Lance are the leaders in San Francisco's quarterback room, via Dave Lombardi of The Athletic.
“There are some unknowns with Brock's injury and Trey coming back. Those are some things with a good quarterback room, everything is going to work out,” Darnold said. “At the end of the day, as long as we're winning games, that's the only thing that matters to me.”
While San Francisco isn't looking for Darnold to be the Week 1 starter, he will fill a pivotal role for the 49ers. Trey Lance is coming back from a season-ending ankle injury while Brock Purdy recently underwent elbow surgery. If either of them are behind schedule, Darnold could fill in. After last year's NFC Championship Game debacle, Darnold gives the 49ers another layer of protection.
Sam Darnold has been in the NFL since 2018. After three years with the Jets, he has spent the last two with the Panthers. Overall, Darnold has thrown for 11,767 yards, 61 touchdowns and 55 interceptions over his five-year career.
Darnold hasn't quite lived up to his first-round pedigree. However, San Francisco clearly values him as a backup quarterback. As Lance and Purdy battle for the starting role, Darnold will be ready if an opportunity ever arises.
