With training camp just a few weeks away, there is one major question hanging over the San Francisco 49ers: Who will be the 49ers starting quarterback in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season? Brock Purdy, Trey Lance and Sam Darnold all seemingly have a real chance to be the 49ers quarterback when San Francisco kicks off the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 10.
49ers General Manager John Lynch indicated on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week that Brock Purdy is the favorite to win the starting job. Lynch noted that Lance and Darnold have a chance to climb atop the 49ers’ depth chart in what will be an “open competition.”
As long as Purdy is fully recovered from offseason elbow surgery, he’s the right choice to be named the No.1 49ers QB.
Given what Purdy accomplished as San Francisco’s starting quarterback last season, it should be a no-brainer for him to win the job over Lance and Darnold. It was a small sample size, but Purdy had a historic rookie campaign in 2022.
Ignore what Purdy did in the NFC Championship Game. The 23-year-old essentially lost his ability to throw the football very early in what would become a 31-7 loss at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. Purdy’s elbow injury limited him to four pass attempts in the game.
In seven starts, including the playoffs, Purdy had a 7-0 record, never posting a passer rating below 87.4. In five of those starts, Purdy’s passer rating was north of 114.5. In his playoff debut, on the biggest stage of his early NFL career, Purdy threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns. Purdy completed 66.7% of his passes and never threw more than one interception in a game.
Can Purdy replicate his 107.3 passer rating from his first regular season? Maybe not, but there’s only one way for the 49ers to find out.
Darnold almost certainly can’t put up those kinds of numbers for a full season. In five seasons as an NFL starter, Darnold has never been more than a mediocre quarterback. Even though his numbers could improve under Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers’ weapons, Darnold essentially is what he is at this point.
Who knows what to make of Lance? He’s barely played football over the last four years. The early returns on the former No. 3 overall pick have not been good. The 49ers don’t have time to waste finding out if Lance can live up to his potential.
The 49ers arguably have the most talented roster in the NFC. San Francisco’s championship window is open. There’s no telling when it might close.
San Francisco has proven that it doesn’t need a top-five quarterback to win a title. Jimmy Garoppolo nearly beat Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. The 49ers have been on the doorstep of reaching the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons.
A healthy Purdy is the 49ers’ best bet at quarterback to deliver San Francisco a championship in the 2023 season.
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