There are some question marks circling the 49ers' quarterback situation once again as the 2023 NFL season approaches, but coach Kyle Shanahan isn't concerned.
In fact, he's optimistic about what those questions could produce.
"We've got three guys who can play, and there's only one spot, and we have a good team," Shanahan recently told NFL Network's Steve Wyche (h/t 49ers Webzone). "So I see it as a cool situation. And last year, we had some unknown."
With veterans reporting to 49ers training camp Tuesday, Trey Lance and Sam Darnold will take a majority of the snaps under center as Brock Purdy recovers from his March elbow surgery. The second-year quarterback is ahead of schedule in his rehab and the team is hopeful he'll be ready by Week 1, but Lance and Darnold will have a chance to prove themselves until Purdy returns.
Uncertainty, yes. But Shanahan at least has a firmer grasp on what he has in his arsenal this season compared to 2022, when Lance was named QB1 with just two NFL starts to his name and an injury-prone Jimmy Garoppolo behind him. Lance's first campaign as starter was cut short by a broken ankle in Week 2, and a subsequent Garoppolo injury allowed Purdy to swoop in and take the world by storm.
"We believed in Trey, but he hadn't gone out and done it yet," Shanahan said. "But we believed in him. We got to see him for a year and a half, and what he could do, and he lost that opportunity, which happens in football."
Now that Darnold has been added to the mix after signing a one-year contract with San Francisco in free agency, Shanahan likes his QB room. And while Purdy is considered the presumed starter by many after taking the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game, it's clear Shanahan really likes his options given Lance's raw talent and Darnold's throwing capabilities.
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At this point, plenty is dependent on Purdy's health -- which in the NFL is never a given.
"And we had another guy come in, very similar to Trey, but less reps and stuff," Shanahan said. "And Brock got that opportunity. So now we're in this situation, and it's just -- I get how everyone wants something set in stone, but it's not set in stone. But I love the options, and I love the experience that Brock got.
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"I love that Trey has gotten some, too. And I love the ability that we have in the room. And besides those three, I love our team around them, so let's let it play out."
With training camp upon us, it won't be long before the 49ers Faithful get the answers they're looking for.
