Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
49ers’ QB1? John Lynch calls Brock Purdy the “leader in the clubhouse”
Mar 27, 2023 at 8:51 AM
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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, speaking with reporters at the owners' meetings in Arizona on Monday morning, made it clear where
Brock Purdy sits in the team's quarterback depth chart. Purdy, recovering from surgery on March 10, has earned the right to the top spot.
"I think Brock has earned the right with the way he played that he's probably the leader in the clubhouse at that," Lynch said. "I'll let [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] make those kind of decisions, but I know, when we talk, I think Brock's probably earned that right to be the guy. If we were to line up, he'd probably take that first snap."
Of course, Lynch clarified that all quarterbacks—Purdy,
Trey Lance, and
Sam Darnold—will compete for the 49ers' starting job. However, Purdy showed he had earned the right based on his rookie performance.
"We're really excited about where Trey is at with his progress from his injury," Lynch added. "He's been working really hard. Love the opportunity to be able to bring in Sam Darnold and his skill set. We think it's a really good fit. So we like that [quarterback] room a lot."
Lynch noted that he believes Purdy could still return to practice sometime during training camp. Purdy is expected to begin throwing sometime in June, ramping up his workload and being fully cleared sometime in September. However, the 49ers general manager is more hopeful. The team will better understand Purdy's recovery timeline once the quarterback begins throwing in June.
"But our hope is he's ready to go in training camp," Lynch said. "We'll see how everything goes. We're going to do what's right for Brock because that's right for our organization. You know, be aggressive with what we do but also be really smart."
Lynch and the 49ers also plan to be smart with Purdy's recovery. If he's not ready for the start of the season, the team believes it has the players to "hold down the fort" until he is.
Training camp begins at the end of July and runs through August.
"Brock is going to work," Lynch said. "He's going to do everything they ask and more, and they were very pleased with the way the surgery went, so we're excited about that."
What does Lynch and the 49ers think about Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, if Purdy has seemingly jumped him on the depth chart?
"We're still very excited about Trey," Lynch responded, "but I think the way Brock played, he probably has earned that right to be the guy. But it's certainly a competition; we will always have that. And again, these are decisions Kyle makes. But I know in our discussions, this is the way we're talking."
Would the 49ers consider trading Lance?
"We like Trey on our team right now," Lynch responded. "We always joke, Kyle and I, we'd trade each other if someone gave us a good enough deal, so we listen to anything. But we like Trey on our team, and we're very excited about the way he's progressing, about his opportunity. I think he's champing at the bit to get out there, and get back under center, and be healthy again."
Purdy suffered a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow during the 49ers' 31-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Championship Game. He entered the game against the Miami Dolphins on December 4, replacing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, and started the remainder of the season.
Purdy finished his rookie regular season completing 67.1 percent of his passes for 1,374 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. He added 569 passing yards with three touchdowns in the playoffs but only managed four passing attempts in the NFC Championship Game.
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John Lynch: 49ers 'incredibly encouraged' after Brock Purdy throwing session
Brock Purdy started throwing this week, and it sounds like the San Francisco 49ers are pleased with their second-year quarterback's progress. While Purdy isn't doing anything overly taxing, it is the first time he is throwing a football—albeit reportedly a lighter-weighted one.
Purdy underwent surgery on March 10 to repair the tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, an injury suffered against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. His recovery is expected to last into late August or early September—barring any setbacks.
"There are certain markers that you hit," general manager John Lynch said Wednesday morning on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "He was 12 weeks out, and that meant it was time to throw. He did so and
Why John Lynch believes 49ers QB Brock Purdy is the "real deal"
By Rohan Chakravarthi
May 31
Over the offseason, there has been significant talk surrounding the San Francisco 49ers and their quarterbacks, especially after the team signed Sam Darnold in free agency, providing them three capable options with starting experience in the former Carolina Panther, Brock Purdy, and Trey Lance.
Purdy is evidently the leader in the clubhouse, as stated by general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan several times this offseason, but many have pointed out his flaws, such as the inability to make throws downfield, as a reason why one of the other quarterbacks could win over the starting job with a strong performance in organized team activities(OTAs) and training camp.
What do the 49ers believe about Purdy's downfield ability?
General manager
Have the 49ers anointed Brock Purdy too soon?
As the sun rose over the horizon, fans of the San Francisco 49ers came from all over, with great anticipation, as General Manager, John Lynch, slowly trudged his way upon the hill, disappearing into the fog for just a moment, and reappearing with Kyle Shanahan, to proclaim Brock Purdy the heir to the 49ers' QB throne. (Cue the "Circle of Life" track!)
Alright, so it wasn't exactly like that. But the 49ers' brass has made it a point this offseason to ensure everyone knows Purdy is the team's starting quarterback, once he's healthy. And while it may have lacked the drama of a scene from The Lion King, the declaration was just as impactful. (You know, if we could have had Lynch look out over the kingdom, and then hold young Purdy up in front of the team's cheering
49ers expect Brock Purdy to begin throwing this week
The San Francisco 49ers expect their second-year quarterback, Brock Purdy, to start throwing again this week. Purdy underwent surgery on March 10 to repair the tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, an injury sustained on January 29 in the NFC Championship Game. The expectations were always for the quarterback to start throwing again in early June.
Purdy won't be doing anything excessive at first. He will likely be limited as this portion of his rehabilitation begins, and his workload will ramp up in the coming months.
Purdy's return timeline remains up in the air. However, the team will know more once he starts throwing again. Head
