49ers' Charvarius Ward: 'Ain't No Drop off' from Brock Purdy to Sam Darnold at QB

Brock Purdy's status for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals is uncertain after he was placed in concussion protocol, which means Sam Darnold could be in line for the start under center.

According to Niners cornerback Charvarius Ward, Darnold should be able to step into the starting lineup with no issues.

"I expect us to win, same as I do with Brock," Ward told Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle. "Darnold's a seasoned vet. He's played six years; he came in the NFL with me. I expect him to come in and sling that [expletive] around. Ain't no drop off. We're good."

Darnold signed a one-year deal with the 49ers in March following a two-year stint with the Carolina Panthers.

The 26-year-old appeared in just six games for the Panthers in 2022, completing 58.6 percent of his passes for 1,143 yards and seven touchdowns against three interceptions, in addition to rushing for 106 yards and two scores.

While Darnold has struggled since being selected third overall in the 2018 draft by the New York Jets, he'll be stepping into the best offense he has seen in the NFL if he suits up on Sunday.

The 49ers have no shortage of offensive weapons in Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Jauan Jennings—the list goes on. Darnold shouldn't have much of an issue moving the ball against the Bengals, and if he puts up a strong performance, he'll have a chance to bolster his stock before hitting free agency in the spring.