Niners Dilemma: Start Sam Darnold, Trey Lance, Or Brock Purdy?

In Conclusion

Will Shanahan swing for the fences by starting Trey Lance? Can he revive a career that never quite got off the ground with Sam Darnold? Or should he stick with Brock Purdy because of last season’s success?

Darnold should be nothing more than an emergency spot starter at this point. If San Francisco suffers more injuries at the position, Darnold could reasonably step in and guide the ship in the regular season. However, he is not someone to trust if you have Super Bowl aspirations.

My gut says the Niners roll with Purdy, but I believe Lance should get the first crack at starting reps. He is a player the franchise invested heavily in and still could develop into a high-end starter in the NFL.

Too often over the years, the franchise has gotten in its own way in terms of bad injury luck and questionable quarterback decisions. Here’s hoping that whichever path the Niners take this offseason leads to a Lombardi Trophy.