NFL Exec Predicts 49ers Sign Tom Brady, Trade Trey Lance to Titans; Brock Purdy QB2

Following their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, the San Francisco 49ers once again enter an offseason with a lot of quarterback questions that will need to be answered before the 2023 season begins.

Per The Athletic's Mike Sando, one executive from another team predicted the 49ers will sign Tom Brady to be their starter and make Brock Purdy the backup, with Trey Lance being traded to the Tennessee Titans.

"That is the chatter," the executive told Sando. "They have the defense already, Brady wants to win one more, and this is right up the 49ers' alley."

Lance is the wild card in this situation because the 49ers traded two first-round draft picks to move up and select him No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL draft. He was supposed to be their starter in 2022, but a fractured ankle ended his season in Week 2.

The Titans hired 49ers director of player personnel Ran Carthon as their general manager on Jan. 18.

After Lance posted an Instagram message with a picture of Carthon and three fingers-crossed emojis, some people interpreted that as the 22-year-old suggesting he hoped to join him in Tennessee.

Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Jan. 20 that the 49ers were going into next season with Purdy as their starter. His elbow injury from the NFC Championship Game could complicate things.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 49ers believe Purdy's injury is to his UCL and that an MRI will determine the extent of the issue.

Schefter added the hope is Purdy's UCL isn't ruptured and will only require six weeks to recover.

The Athletic's David Lombardi noted a torn UCL would require Tommy John surgery. It's not a common procedure for NFL quarterbacks to have. Jake Delhomme had it in October 2007 with an estimated recovery time of seven to nine months.

If Purdy requires elbow reconstruction surgery with a similar timeframe, the 49ers would almost certainly have to consider either Lance or someone outside the organization to be their starter in 2023.

Brady would be an obvious choice because he can become a free agent and wanted to sign with San Francisco three years ago, but the team passed and stuck with Jimmy Garoppolo after reaching Super Bowl 54 during the 2019 season.