The San Francisco 49ers are just two weeks away from training camp, where quarterbacks Trey Lance, Sam Darnold, and potentially Brock Purdy will get a last chance to prove themselves before the team sees preseason action in what likely is a crucial period in determining the depth chart for the upcoming season.
Lance, the incumbent, has seen a tumultuous beginning to his NFL career, suffering injuries in each of his two NFL seasons that have severely limited his playing time, despite the team sharing positive details about his development.
Darnold, on the other hand, is the exact opposite case; he's started 55 NFL games in his five seasons as an NFL quarterback, going just 21-34 during that stretch while playing for the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets, two teams that didn't have nearly the level of offensive infrastructure that San Francisco possesses.
Purdy, the reportedly likely starter, is still recovering from a torn UCL sustained in last season's NFC Championship Game, and could miss the entirety of training camp and even preseason, although the 49ers are optimistic about his progress to be ready for the start of the season.
While the quarterbacks' play will be the determining factor in how the 49ers' depth chart plays out, a certain 49ers teammate is pleased with the progress he's seen from Lance this offseason: wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
Going on a CBS radio show earlier this week, Samuel made headlines for abruptly ending his segment earlier than expected, but still gave enough information to let fans know his thoughts on Lance's development and progression this offseason.
"Very versatile, strong arm, smart young man," Samuel shared about Lance. "How fast he can pick up things because you know everything is throwing at him at once. [In] his first year, he was behind Jimmy (Garoppolo), then when he first got the chance to show people what he can do, he got an injury. But, just coming back into minicamp and stuff, just watching Trey and how he's progressed from the past two years, it's been a significant improvement."
That improvement hasn't translated to in-game reps yet, due to the injuries, but it's another positive report about Lance heading into a crucial training camp period that could potentially determine his future with the 49ers.