The QB Drama is Getting Old
Uhg
The 49ers have three QBs on their roster for next year: Brock Purdy, Trey Lance, and Sam Darnold. In a vacuum I’d be happy with that QB room. So why the hell am I so apprehensive about this upcoming season and the potential of our QB play? Because we’re not even in training camp and this shit is messy as hell.
Brock Purdy and the Unknown
John Lynch says Purdy is the starter. That said, nobody knows how Purdy will be after UCL surgery. It’s a terrible injury for a QB. The comparisons I can think of are Jake Delhomme, and Carson Palmer. Jake Delhomme was never the same after his UCL injury in 2007. Carson Palmer was worse following his injury in 20081 but did have some outlier seasons, 2015 being the most obvious, but he was also productive in 2013 and 2016.
What does this mean for Purdy? The answer is nobody fucking knows. Not a single person knows. Not John “Brock Purdy is our Starter” Lynch. Not Kyle Shannahan. Not even Brock Purdy.
I love Brock and I want Purdy to come back better than ever. But every pundit and every “expert” has no idea what is going to happen when he returns. He’s young which is about the only thing he has going for him in regards to recovery. I’m going to cross my fingers but I’m not holding my breath.
Which Leaves Us With Sam Darnold and Trey Lance
I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out who had a tougher start to their career with the Niners: Alex Smith or Trey Lance. None of the obstacles these men face/faced are the fault of their own - and obviously the situations are different, but Trey Lance has had as raw a deal from the moment he’s joined the team as anyone. Unlucky in getting hurt, unlucky in the Jimmy G drama, and has never had a real opportunity to show us that he can progress to the QB we though he could be when drafting him.
You could say the same thing about Sam Darnold in regards to never having the right opportunity so far in his career. I’ve always liked Darnold but if he beats out Trey Lance in training camp it’s going to be a problem. Nobody has a clue if this will work out or not, but Sam has a real opportunity playing in this offense and could be very good. I believe this is why so many pundits are thinking Trey will be traded on draft night or before the season starts. What would it do to Trey Lances confidence and value if Sam Darnold beats him out for the starting position while Purdy heals up? I hate to even think about it.
I want to see Trey get the starter reps in practice, I want to see him play the starter reps in the pre-season, and I’d love to see how he does, as week to week stater for the Niners. I just would like to see what we actually have in Trey. And for the love of god can we not have him execute designed run plays between the tackles?
The Aaron Rogers Drama
This week Mike Florio posted a video with Chris Simms (video above) saying the Niners have reached out to the Packers about Aaron Rodgers. Cool. Like Florio I do think the Jets will land Rodgers, but this story even getting floated is problematic to me. It’s more drama.
What I hate is going into another season, where there’s little clarity around the most important position on a football team. Then we add in the rumor of us asking about Aaron Rodgers? Come on. This is legit exhausting.
I don’t know what we’ve done to upset the football gods in regards to stability at the QB position but they should call up Ted Lasso and see if they can perform a similar “Reverse the Curse” ceremony or something. I’d just love for once to not have to think about the QB position at all.