There are questions about whether Brock Purdy will be back in time for the start of the regular season for the 49ers, and former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky is excited for Sam Darnold to potentially get a chance at starting with the 49ers, not Trey Lance, according to Angelina Martin of Yahoo!

“Sam Darnold is absolutely capable of taking this team back to the NFC Championship Game,” Dan Orlovsky said on Get Up, according to Martin. “I'm so excited to watch him if he's the guy in San Francisco with Brody Purdy a little bit banged up. Finally at a place that has the coaching, the offensive talent, the complete team to allow his talent — one of the best talents we've seen come out of college in years. I'm so excited, and I think he could be the guy that brings them back to the NFC Championship Game.”

There is uncertainty as to who will be the starting quarterback for 49ers this season, and Brock Purdy's UCL surgery plays into that. The recovery timeframe is up in the air. Many would assume that former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance would be the starter, but it is no guarantee after the 49ers brought Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen into the quarterback room.

Orlovsky has always been a fan of Darnold, going back to when he was in college. He was not successful with the New York Jets, after being selected by them in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he was also not successful in his time with the Carolina Panthers. Time will tell if he gets another chance to face the 49ers.