Kurtenbach: 49ers, Garoppolo found a way to win in Chicago, and that could jump-start their season

The San Francisco 49ers have found themselves in a quarterback conundrum for the third consecutive season, with 2022 seventh-rounder Brock Purdy at the forefront of the conversation due to a torn UCL that he sustained in the NFC Championship Game that is expected to sideline him for six months. That led the team to sign former Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, allowing him to compete with former first-rounder Trey Lance for the backup job, and potentially even the starting job, should Purdy not be ready for Week 1. However, Purdy's recovery is reportedly going on track, as head coach Kyle Shanahan said last week that he anticipates that the seventh-rounder will be able to begin throwing this week, right at the three-month line of his

The San Francisco 49ers know who their starting safeties will be in 2023. They are All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga and 12th-year veteran Tashaun Gipson. Gipson, who is 32 years old, reportedly flirted with the idea of retiring this offseason before returning to the Niners on a one-year deal. The always forward-thinking 49ers used their first pick in April's draft, a third-rounder, to add a player they hope can be Gipson's eventual replacement—Ji'Ayir Brown out of Penn State. Don't expect Brown to simply be an observer on the sidelines during his rookie season while Hufanga and Gipson do all the work. The 49ers plan to find ways to get him onto the football field and gain valuable experience. According to The Athletic, the coaches plan to utilize some three-safety

On a team with as much talent as the San Francisco 49ers, there isn't always much space for rookies to carve out an immediate role, let alone be a starter. That's why it was impressive that rookie Spencer Burford not only shined early, separating himself during organized team activities(OTAs), but took a starting role as a fourth-rounder. However, Burford split in-season reps with veteran Daniel Brunskill in a season with ups and downs, questioning the 49ers' belief in his play as a rookie. But, with Brunskill off to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, the path is clear for the UTSA product to carve out an everyday role in a potential breakout season for Burford during his second season. Speaking with reporters for the first time this

One of the biggest criticisms about Jimmy Garoppolo has been his availability. The quarterback wins football games but has been available for an entire season just once in his career—in 2019. Garoppolo's latest injury occurred on December 4 while with the San Francisco 49ers. The veteran left a regular-season game against the Miami Dolphins with a foot injury. It was later revealed that he suffered a broken foot and would miss significant time. However, it wasn't believed to require surgery. That led to the emergence of Brock Purdy, the seventh-round draft pick that took the NFL by storm. He led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game before suffering an injury himself. Garoppolo remained on the 49ers' 53-man roster through all that. The 49ers