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If you listen to the words of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch, the 49ers' quarterback competition doesn't seem like much of a competition.Both have spent much of the offseason singing the praises of Brock Purdy, who stepped Artis Gilmore Jersey into the starting role after injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo last season and didn't lose until the NFC championship game.The serious elbow injury Purdy suffered in that game factors into the decision, though. As Purdy works to prove he's recovered from offseason surgery to repair a torn UCL, former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance is hoping to show he's not one to be written off. The 49ers also brought in Sam Darnold, a former No. 3 pick himself who has been praised by Shanahan.Do Lance or Darnold have a chance to unseat Purdy? Will Purdy's elbow heal in time for Week 1? These are rare questions a Super Bowl contender has to face leading into a season, and the 49ers have a limited to window to find answers.MORE: Here's a closer look at the 49ers' three-way quarterback competition and where the competitors stand.Lance was Shanahan's hand-picked quarterback, a player the 49ers traded up to select just Quinndary Weatherspoon Jersey two short years ago, but this offseason has seemingly been all about Purdy for San Francisco. Shanahan and Lynch have both referred to Purdy as the frontrunner to start, pending his health.At the same time, Darnold is reportedly a favorite of Shanahan, and the 49ers resisted trading Lance this offseason while he still had value.Here's what you need to know about where all three quarterbacks stand in the competition.Brock PurdyNBC Sports' Matt Maiocco reported in June that Purdy was likely to be the 49ers' starter if he was healthy, and echoing in March calling Purdy the "leader in the clubhouse."Kyle Shanahan shared a similar sentiment in March, saying, "The way Brock played last year, he'd be the starter going into it." The caveat in that statement was that he wasn't sure whether Purdy would be healthy. In the same breath, he said the door was open for both Lance and Darnold to show what they can do.So, is Purdy healthy? Indications are that he's on the right track. He is practicing on a part-time basis and has reported no i sues other than "minimal sorene s," quarterbacks coach Brian Griese told reporters, explaining that slight sorene s was nothing out of the ordinary.Purdy isn't expected to play in the 49ers' preseason opener, but he was listed as the team's No. 1 quarterback on the first depth chart of training camp.MORE: Trey LanceIt's been a quiet offseason for Lance, who saw his name surface in trade rumors but never seemed to be at any real risk Keita Bates-Diop Jersey of being moved. While the 49ers held onto Lance, there's a chance he opens the season as the team's No. 3 Luka Samanic Jersey quarterback behind Darnold.It's not uncommon for high draft picks to not pan out, as Darnold can tell you, but Lance's fall has been as much about injuries as it's been about a lack of succe s. Lance only finished one game last season, a mud-ravaged Week 1 lo s to the Bears that looked like it was played in a monsoon.He showed flashes in limited action as a rookie, but one would have to think Lance hasn't shown Shanahan enough in practice if he's barely willing to consider the 23-year-old for the starting job in year three. With Purdy still working his way back, Lance has a golden opportunity to put on a show in the preseason and prove his worth for either the 49ers or any other team that might pursue a quarterback in 2024.Sam DarnoldESPN's Adam Schefter said on "The Pat McAfee Show" in June that Darnold appears to have the edge over Lance for the 49ers' backup role. That's not insignificant, as San Francisco used three quarterbacks last season and Purdy is coming off a major injury.With Purdy not expected on the field for the start of preseason, if at all, Darnold and Lance are set to battle it out and jockey for the No. 2 spot even if they can't break Purdy's grip on the job.Should Purdy struggle early in the season, could Shanahan think highly enough of Darnold to give him a chance over Lance? The 49ers will hope it doesn't come to that, but Jakob Poeltl Jersey a strong preseason from Darnold could go a long way.Darnold disappointed as the Panthers' starter in 2021, but he looked more capable than Baker Mayfield or P.J. Walker when he went 4-2 in six starts for Carolina last season.
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