John Lynch on Monday at the NFL owners’ meetings gave a definitive comment on the 49ers’ quarterback situation going into the season. Second-year signal caller Brock Purdy is the “leader in the clubhouse” for the starting job if and when he’s healthy enough to play. He also added QBs Trey Lance and Sam Darnold would also be in the mix and competing, but that felt like an afterthought compared to his declaration that Purdy is (likely) the team’s starting QB in 2023.
It isn’t a huge surprise that the team would roll with last year’s Mr. Irrelevant as their starter. He has the largest sample of the team’s present trio and he saw nothing but success until getting hurt in the NFC championship game. The team was 7-0 in games Purdy started and was healthy for. He completed 67.1 percent of his throws with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions in the regular season. His elusiveness in the pocket and playmaking outside of it added a new level to the 49ers’ offense, and they started lighting up the scoreboard with Purdy running the show.
However, the question now turns toward the long-term with the 49ers’ QB situation. Here’s what Lynch’s comments mean for each of the QBs on the 49ers’ roster: