Sam Darnold was a surprise offseason addition. The San Francisco 49ers acquired the quarterback during free agency in March. At the time, the move seemed to make some sense. The team's likely starter, Brock Purdy, had just undergone surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. Trey Lance, the 49ers' former No. 3 overall pick, was coming off a season-ending ankle injury.
Darnold was a good insurance policy.
As the offseason progressed, the storyline shifted. Might Lance, last season's Week 1 starter, be passed by Darnold on the depth chart? At the end of July, that chatter has not diminished. If anything, it has heightened.
We know head coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers like Darnold a lot. The team did its pre-draft homework on the quarterback in 2018 and was excited about acquiring him in March.
"We put work in on Sam, as we do with all the quarterbacks," general manager John Lynch told reporters on Monday. "[We] really liked what he brought to the table and have even seen promise. Although, [he] hasn't been a whole lot of success.
"We like the film. We like what he puts on tape. We wanted the opportunity to work with him. Again, a product of our experiences and wanting to be deep there, and Sam was available."
Those "experiences" the G.M. is referring to come from last season. All four quarterbacks on the roster suffered injuries. Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo were lost by Week 13, leading to Purdy, a rookie, taking over. Lynch admits that experience may influence how the roster is handled in the future, not dismissing the possibility of the 49ers keeping four quarterbacks in the building.
"Sam was interested in coming here," Lynch continued. "It was something we could financially fit. You know, all these guys, it's about stacking days. Yesterday, the light bulb kind of came on. He had a really good practice, and you could see things kind of slow down. You could see the talent, the big-time thrower that he can be. And that was a good day. And now, if he can continue to stack that, that's good for everyone."