Jeff Garcia: 49ers Should Explore Trey Lance Trade and Start Brock Purdy amid Rumors

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia has weighed in on what the team should do with its quarterback room this offseason.

Speaking to TMZ Sports, Garcia said the 49ers should make Brock Purdy the starter for next season and explore trade options for Trey Lance.

"Purdy runs the offense the way [Kyle] Shanahan coaches it," Garcia explained. "They're not trying to fabricate plays and create like they were for Trey Lance. You gotta go with the guy that's going to make the right decisions, run the offense the way it's supposed to be run and take advantage of the weapons around you."

Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Jan. 20 that Purdy was going to be the 49ers' starter in 2023.

Things have changed in the time since that report came out.

The 49ers can't make any decision about Purdy until they know exactly how long the elbow injury he suffered in the NFC Championship Game will keep him out.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Purdy is scheduled to have surgery on Feb. 22 to repair a torn UCL that should allow him to be ready for training camp.

Appearing on KNBR's Papa & Lund show (h/t David Bonilla of 49ersWebZone.com), Purdy said there's a chance this surgery could be more complex than is being reported.

"Everyone's saying it would be the best for just my career moving forward to get the surgery and get the repair with an internal brace," he explained. "Still, there could be some question as to getting a hybrid surgery, which is reconstruction with the internal brace. So we're going into it thinking the repair with the internal brace, for sure. All the surgeons have said that and that's what we're hoping for, and get a six-month recovery in and be ready to [training] camp."

If surgeons find more damage than expected and his recovery timeline changes, the 49ers will have more questions at quarterback.

Lance is recovering from a fibula fracture and a ligament disruption that ended his season in Week 2. He had a second surgery in December to remove hardware that was inserted during the first procedure in September because it was causing irritation on a tendon in his ankle.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Feb. 1 that Lance could be "full go" by the start of organized team activities.

Lance, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, was expected to be San Francisco's starter this season. His injury in the first quarter of Week 2 opened the door for Jimmy Garoppolo to be the No. 1 quarterback.

After Garoppolo broke his foot in Week 13, Purdy took over as the starter for the rest of the season. The final pick in the 2022 NFL draft surprised everyone by throwing for 1,308 yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions in the final six games of the regular season.

Purdy led the 49ers to playoff victories over the Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys. He was injured in the first quarter of the NFC Championship Game when Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick sacked him.