The 49ers released their first preseason depth chart with no surprises at the quarterback position as 23-year-old Brock Purdy continues to hold on to the starting job in San Francisco.
The NFL makes teams release a depth chart ahead of their first preseason game, and while the 49ers placed Purdy at no.1 as it was expected, their backup position remains a tie between Sam Darnold and Troy Lance, with Brandon Allen in 4th place.
Purdy’s injury a thing of the past
There was a level of uncertainty about Brock’s health coming back from a devastating elbow injury at the end of the 2022 season that forced the quarterback to have surgery and miss all of the 49ers off-season programs.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan showed great confidence in the quarterback’s skills and shut down any questions about his health during a recent training camp press conference saying “We’re not worried about Brock…Brock’s the real deal. He knows how to play.”
Purdy shot to fame after winning every game he started for San Francisco when he was healthy after replacing injured Jimmy Garoppolo and taking the team all the way to the NFC Championship game as a rookie.
Purdy is expected to see little to no action during the NFL Preseason so fans will have to wait to see if he is able to keep adding to his meteoric rise from being the last selection of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Darnold or Lance at No. 2?
While training camp has confirmed that Purdy is clearly ahead of any competition for the no. 1 spot, it has come to the attention of reporters that Sam Darnold goes first when taking reps with the second-team offense, thus taking more snaps than Lance since both take turns practicing with the unit while Allen takes care of the third team.
On paper, Darnold has the advantage of experience after 5 years in the NFL (3 with the Jets and 2 with the Panthers) totaling 55 games and a record of 21 wins and 34 losses.
Lance on the other hand, has faced only adversity in his time with the 49ers after joining the team as the 3rd pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and not being able to enjoy continued playing time due to injury and Garoppolo’s status as the Niners’ starter.
In total, the 23-year-old quarterback has only 8 games under his belt with 4 being starts. He has 5 touchdowns to his name and 3 interceptions. His win-loss record stands even at 4-4.
The 49ers haven’t confirmed who will start in the team’s first preseason game on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, but the battle to win Purdy’s backup position will be one of the most interesting storylines to follow until the
NFL kicks off its regular season on Thursday, September 7.
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