SANTA CLARA — Friday night represented a new opportunity for Sam Darnold.
Just hours before the 49ers hosted the Los Angeles Chargers for their preseason finale, the team traded away former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance and opened the door for Darnold to be undisputed QB2 this season.
In his first chance to prove the Niners made the right decision, Darnold looked mediocre while going 6-of-11 for 89 yards and a touchdown, as the Chargers won 23-12.
“It was weird, for sure,” Darnold said of playing shortly after the Lance trade. “It’s weird anytime something like that happens but we have to focus on the game. We have to focus on the task at hand. That’s what we did. Unfortunately, we didn't win this game but I’m proud of how the young guys fought all preseason.”
Darnold’s prettiest throw of the evening came right before the two-minute warning in the first half, as he delivered a dime to a diving Chris Conley, who injured his shoulder while making the 34-yard catch.
While Darnold’s first three drives each resulted in punts, he finally drove the Niners down the field for a touchdown in the third quarter. On a third down from the 6-yard line, Darnold went through his progression before hitting veteran receiver Willie Snead in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
The 26-year-old Darnold doesn’t have to look over his shoulder anymore, as the pecking order seemingly has been determined with Brock Purdy as QB1, Darnold as QB2 and Brandon Allen as QB3.
49ers general manager John Lynch vouched for Darnold after Friday’s game.
“Ultimately, coaches are paid to make those decisions and they felt collectively that Sam had separated himself and that wasn't for lack of Trey competing his tail off,” Lynch said. “He improved greatly. So, I think we were real proud of the effort he made. Sam has had a really good camp and you see Sam's arm talent, his abilities. I think the same reasons why we were interested in bringing him here have kind of come to fruition. Now, it's going to happen, but ultimately we felt that was the best decision.”
Purdy marched the 49ers down the field on both of his drives, but running back Jordan Mason fumbled near the goal line of the game’s first series to stall a 10-play, 74-yard drive.
On his second and final series with the offense, Purdy led a nine-play, 53-yard drive that ended when he scampered in from five yards out to score a touchdown. Purdy finished 5-of-9 for 73 yards in his final tune-up, but he looks ready to go for the regular season after undergoing offseason elbow surgery in March.
Allen looked a bit out of sorts during his appearance Friday, as he entered with about four minutes left in the third quarter. The 30-year-old went 2-of-6 for 23 yards while throwing an interception, coming on a pass that was behind his intended receiver Tay Martin and tipped by the Chargers DB into the hands of linebacker Daiyan Henley.
Allen’s three drives resulted in a pick, two punts and just 28 total yards, before he kneeled twice on the final series to end the preseason.
“Not great today,” Allen said. “The first throw was behind the receiver, got picked and then tried to throw a screen and hit the lineman in the leg. Just not great all around for me. But it’s an opportunity to get some reps and to get some playing time. I’ll use that to learn from.”
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