Brock Purdy the 'Leader' to Be 49ers' QB1 amid Trey Lance Injury, GM John Lynch Says

Brock Purdy will be the "leader in the clubhouse" to win the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback job heading into training camp next season, general manager John Lynch told reporters Monday.

Lynch said Purdy, Trey Lance and Sam Darnold will all be given the opportunity to win the job, but the 2022 seventh-round pick earned his spot as the early favorite with his play last season.

"I think Brock has earned the right with the way he played that he's probably the leader in the clubhouse," Lynch told reporters. "I'll let Kyle [Shanahan] make those kinds of decisions, but I know when we talked, Brock probably has earned that right to be the guy. If we were to line up, he probably would take that first snap. Really excited about where Trey [Lance] is at with his progress from his injury. He has been working really hard. And I love the opportunity to bring in Sam Darnold and his skill set—we think it's a really good fit. We like that room a lot."

Purdy is currently recovering from surgery to repair a torn UCL in his shoulder suffered in the NFC Championship Game. Lynch said the 49ers are hopeful he's available for the start of training camp, but no formal timetable has been given for his return.

Purdy was one of the NFL's biggest surprises in 2022, taking over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo to win his first seven starts before faltering (due in no small part to injury) against the Eagles in the playoffs. He threw for 1,374 yards and 13 touchdowns against four interceptions during the regular season and did not throw a pick in 63 postseason attempts.

Lance began 2022 as the starter before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 2. The 2021 first-round pick has not been particularly impressive in his limited NFL action, throwing for 797 yards and five touchdowns against three interceptions in eight games (four starts). He brings a dynamism in the running game that Purdy does not possess, but Lance is still very much a work in progress as a passer.

Lance should go through the offseason program getting most of the work with the first-team offense while Purdy recovers. If he begins to show progress, the gap between the two quarterbacks could narrow.

Darnold is almost certainly a nonfactor in any discussion, minus being an insurance policy for injury. Five years into his NFL career, he's essentially proved to be a serviceable backup rather than a quality starter.