Have The 49ers Accidentally Found Their QB Of The Future?

By Andy Davies

It was once something of an insult. More recently, it became a term of affection and another example of philathropy in the NFL. But ‘earning’ the moniker of Mr. Irrelevant comes only one way – and that is being the last selection of an NFL Draft class.

Brock Purdy was awarded that dubious honour in 2022. The former Iowa State quarterback had a phenomenal collegiate career in Ames, yet as with most seventh round picks, little was expected from him in terms of an NFL career, let alone as a rookie.

Fate and circumstance have conspired to change that narrative – and now the 49ers may have an unexpected quandary on their hands…

NFC West Champions

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“Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant turned superstar.”
 
This is a quote from NBC Sports and Football Night in America’s Maria Taylor on Purdy after the heavy 35-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14. In this game, he recorded 185 passing yards, three total touchdowns and zero interceptions.
 
Week 15 has begun, and on Thursday Night Football the San Francisco 49ers became the first team to secure a division as their 21-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks clinched the NFC West. Purdy threw for 217 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in this game, including a 54-yard touchdown pass to tight end George Kittle.
 
This was not how it was supposed to be. Here is why the 49ers may have accidentally found their next great QB.

Benefitting From Circumstance

The 49ers are a franchise littered with great quarterbacks in their history. The team had back-to-back Hall of Famers in the position, with Steve Young succeeding Joe Montana. Jeff Garcia, Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick also did good jobs under center. 
 
In the 2021 NFL Draft, the 49ers took a gamble. They gave Miami their 12th overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft as well as two future first-round picks in exchange for Miami’s third overall pick. With that, they took North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. Lance played more than two games just once during his three years in college. In his one season (2019) where he had regular time, he threw for 28 touchdowns and zero interceptions in 16 games.
 
However, despite being drafted so highly, Lance started just twice in his rookie year as Jimmy Garoppolo kept his place as the starter. He threw for five touchdowns and two interceptions in 2021. Despite Garoppolo guiding the Niners to the NFC Championship last season, it was felt that his time was up.
 
2022 was meant to be Lance’s year. There was a lot of offseason hype and the team would announce Lance as their starter. It would not be long before Garoppolo would be back in the frame after Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Seahawks in Week Two.
 
Garoppolo came in but would also be a victim of the injury bug that has seemed to follow this team the past three seasons. Against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13, he went off with a foot injury and this is when Purdy came into the equation. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has been doubtful about whether he will return to the team in time for the playoffs. It appears to be Purdy’s team (for now). Drafted last in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy is this year’s ‘Mr Irrelevant’ and could be seen as the best-ever last pick in the draft. 
 
Ryan Succop is seen as the most successful Mr Irrelevant, winning a Super Bowl in February 2021, with NFL records for the highest rookie field goal percentage and most consecutive kicks made from within 50 yards to name a few. Can Purdy be the guy to set an example for future last picks in the draft?

Long-Term Or Short Fix?

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Purdy has had a great start to life in the NFL. In fact, he is the first quarterback to beat Tom Brady in their first career start. He looks poised, comfortable in the pocket with a presence on the field way beyond his years.
 
However, we have seen this before. Whether it is Gardner Minshew, Cooper Rush or Bailey Zappe, many quarterbacks start well in their first one or two games. This is usually due to a lack of tape from opposition sprinkled with an element of having zero pressure. The real test comes in game three or four once teams start to scheme against them. 
 
For every Minshew, Rush and Zappe there is also Brady and Dak Prescott. They were sixth and fourth-round picks respectively but made the most of their opportunities, which came from injuries to Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo. Brady has gone on to become the best to ever play the game despite being 199th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. Dak was a fourth-round pick and whilst his status as one of the best quarterbacks in the league is questionable, you cannot ignore the fact he has had a solid career.
 
With a playoff berth confirmed by way of winning the division, Purdy has at least four games to show the league if he is the real deal or a flash in the pan. Should he be the former, then this poses a real question. What do the 49ers do next season?
 
Garoppolo infamously won five straight after being traded to the Niners midseason in 2017. They will be fully aware that this could be a short-term thing. This would suggest that Lance will be QB1 on the team next season even if Purdy guides them to a Super Bowl and plays lights out.
 
You would think they would stick with Lance, purely for how much they gave up for him – unless they go down the Brett Favre route and take the Atlanta Falcons approach – get rid of him whilst he still has trade value. If they were to do that, then Purdy’s status as the bonafide starter would be confirmed, not something they expected when taking him in the draft this year. I doubt even Purdy expected to play a single minute in 2022 during the offseason, but the team seems to have accidentally found a gem.

ANDY DAVIES

NFL ANALYST

A current Sports Journalism masters student, Andy has been writing NFL articles since January 2020. Originally from Wales, Andy also writes for pro football mania and dolphins talk, as well as appearing on podcasts and videos for euro tripz. find him on twitter @andydaviessport.

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