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San Francisco 49ers third-year quarterback Trey Lance has been taking all the first-team reps at OTAs, according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington.
During an appearance on NFL Live, Darlington highlighted Lance’s healthy state and the opportunity he’s been given with the first-team offense. Meanwhile, Sam Darnold has been primarily working as the backup quarterback as he familiarizes himself with the team’s playbook.
“Trey Lance is the guy during OTAs who’s been taking all the 1st-team reps; he’s healthy at this point. Sam Darnold really getting backup duty as he kinda gets his playbook under his belt. But for now, Trey Lance getting his opportunity with those first-team reps.”
It was recently reported that Sam Darnold will make a “Push” to become the Week 1 starter while Brock Purdy is sidelined but with Lance taking all the 1st-team reps, it seems less likely.
Worth mentioning that the discussion on who’s the starter between Lance and Darnold comes as Brock Purdy is absent due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, which he suffered during last year’s NFC Championship Game.
Although Purdy’s injury has kept him out of action, there is optimism that he will recover fully or at least be close to 100 percent by the 49ers’ season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10.
Sam Darnold, the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, was added by the 49ers in free agency after a 2-year stint with the Panthers. Darnold played well enough down the stretch for Carolina and finished the 2022 season 4-2 as their starter.
San Francisco made a bold move in the 2021 NFL draft, trading multiple picks to move up and select Trey Lance with the third overall pick. On the other hand, Brock Purdy joined the team as the final pick, known as “Mr. Irrelevant,” in the 2022 draft.
Lance served as the backup quarterback behind Jimmy Garoppolo in the 2021 season before taking over as the team’s QB1 in 2022. However, his season was cut short when he suffered the injury against the Seattle Seahawks on September 18.
In his limited playing time over two seasons, Lance hasn’t shown a ton of promise, completing just 54.9 percent of his passes for five touchdowns and three interceptions. He did demonstrated his mobility, rushing for 235 yards and one touchdown on 54 carries.
Despite being the last pick in the 2022 Draft, “Mr. Irrelevant” Brock Purdy made a significant impact last season. In nine games, including five starts, he completed an impressive 67.1 percent of his passes for 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, accumulating 1,374 passing yards with an average of 8.1 yards per attempt. He continued to shine in the playoffs prior to his injury.
As the 49ers navigate through their offseason preparations, the quarterback competition between Trey Lance and Sam Darnold will undoubtedly be closely watched by fans and analysts alike.
The team will need to make a decision on who will ultimately lead their offense until Purdy returns to full health. Until then, Trey Lance has been given the opportunity to showcase his abilities and stake his claim as the team’s starting quarterback for the upcoming season.