Earlier this week, the San Francisco 49ers released their official depth chart and by no surprise, Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy was listed as QB1, with Trey Lance and Sam Darnold set to battle it out for the backup job.
Heading into the preseason opener Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, Purdy isn't expected to play and he won't. Instead, Lance will start and Darnold is set to play in the second half, as revealed by head coach Kyle Shanahan Friday. Via Ian Rapoport:
“49ers coach Kyle Shanahan tells KNBR that QB Trey Lance will start Sunday vs the Raiders in the preseason opener. Sam Darnold will play in the second half and Brock Purdy won’t play.”
Purdy did have a rough day in 49ers' joint practice with Vegas on Friday, throwing for three interceptions. Plus, he's still working back to 100% from an elbow injury, although it appears he's pretty much there. San Francisco won't be too worried about the mistakes in training camp though because they know what he's capable of.
When it comes to Lance and Darnold, they will be working their tails off for an opportunity to step up. Lance has limited experience as a starter after an early season-ending injury in 2022 but Darnold was QB1 for the Jets and started at times for the Panthers, too.
It's usual for the first-stringer to barely play in preseason anyway, but we'll probably see Purdy at some point for a handful of snaps. When it comes to the regular season, he'll need to be sharp because if not, Lance could get the call. After all, he's drawn rave reviews in camp and does still have a lot of talent.
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