Kyle Juszczyk wants to shut down at least one offseason quarterback rumor. The San Francisco 49ers fullback recently joined the "Haberman and Middlekauff" podcast to discuss all things Niners-related and couldn't leave without addressing one earlier narrative about Trey Lance.
In case there was any doubt, Lance is loved in the locker room.
There was some social media chatter when 49ers players attended a basketball game this offseason, inviting quarterback Sam Darnold to join them. Noticeably absent was Lance, and some made a bigger deal out of that absence than it probably deserved.
"Trey is beloved in our locker room," Juszczyk assured Guy Haberman and John Middlekauff. "Everybody loves Trey. The dude really does work his ass off. He's super personable. He is a very well-liked guy. So for whatever reason that he wasn't at the basketball game, it's not because we don't like him."
Brock Purdy is the frontrunner to be the starting quarterback this season. Lance, the 49ers' former No. 3 overall pick, is competing with Darnold for the QB2 job, which could lead to a Week 1 start if Purdy isn't healthy.
Purdy is still recovering from surgery in March to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, an injury sustained in last season's NFC Championship Game. The team remains hopeful that he will be healthy enough to start practicing sometime during the second half of August.
49ers quarterbacks are expected to report to training camp this week with the rookies. The rest of the veterans will arrive on July 25.
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