We’re about four weeks deep into 49ers training camp and the Trey Lance/Sam Darnold battle for QB2 is still being waged. While Lance bounced back with a solid performance in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Denver Broncos, he’s still splitting second-string reps with Darnold in practice.
NFL analyst Brian Baldinger joined 95.7 The Game’s “The Morning Roast” Tuesday and shared his thoughts on the current state of the Niners QB situation. After burning through four quarterbacks last season, the 49ers will have an extra cushion for 2023.
Listen to Baldy's full interview
The NFL passed “The Brock Purdy” rule earlier this year, allowing teams to dress a third quarterback on gamedays, so long as they’re on the 53-man roster. The emergency third QB can only enter the game if the first two quarterbacks are hurt, but it would prevent a situation like last year’s NFC Championship, when a one-armed Purdy had to re-enter the game for an injured Josh Johnson.
Baldy thinks that the 49ers are better off holding Purdy, Lance and Darnold if it makes sense for the roster.
“You can dress three quarterbacks right now,” Baldinger told hosts Bonta Hill and Joe Shasky. “You can dress all three guys right now, no matter what the order is – whether it’s Sam and Trey or Trey and Sam. But the history says, and it’s not a good history, that the 49ers are gonna need one, two or three quarterbacks. You’re gonna need three quarterbacks to finish the season. It’s just their history, whether it’s a jinx or a hex or whatever. I don’t think there’s any benefit to putting a “For Sale” sign in Trey Lance’s yard. I don’t see there’s any benefit to it. Let the kid hang in there.”
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