It may seem like the San Francisco 49ers have their QB situation figured out, but there is plenty to discuss going into the offseason. QB Brock Purdy may be the franchise starter, but he is technically the only quarterback on the roster for 2024, as things stand.
San Francisco rolled with Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen as their backups in 2023. But both will be free agents in the coming weeks, and that’s why Bleacher Report is recommending a move for New York Giants QB Tyrod Taylor.
“After losing Purdy to injury in the 2022 NFC title game, the 49ers aren’t going to ignore the backup QB role,” the February 19 article states. “A seasoned veteran who can step in and execute Kyle Shanahan’s offense if needed would be ideal. Re-signing Darnold would be sensible, and barring that, the 49ers should consider high-level backups like Tyrod Taylor and Jacoby Brissett.”
It feels inevitable that the 49ers will make a move like this, as they did last year. Darnold was a solid insurance option, but they may need to find another QB should he decide to try his luck elsewhere.
Brissett and Taylor are both valid options but are very different QBs. Taylor offers a bit more versatility, which is something that fits in 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Taylor Steps In for Giants
After Giants QB Daniel Jones was injured early in the season, Tommy DeVito became a cult favorite. But even the power of the New Jersey lifestyle faded, meaning that Taylor had two separate stretches as the Giants’ starting QB in 2023.
As Pro Football Reference shows, Taylor completed 116 of 180 pass attempts for 1341 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. He also added 197 rushing yards on 38 attempts.
It’s not impressive, but it’s what Taylor is about at this point in his career. Entering his 14th NFL season, he’s lost a bit of his speed. But he is still relatively clean as a dual-threat passer.
And for those who think he’s not a solid backup option due to his inclination to run, take a look at Purdy’s game. Including the playoffs, Purdy ran 53 times for 218 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
49ers QB’s Plan for Offseason
While the 49ers’ front office figures out the backup situation, fans are getting insight to Purdy’s offseason plans. The Athletic’s Matt Barrows recently hopped on KNBR to talk about what the QB wants to improve before next Fall.
“Now he’s thinking about getting married next month and sticking around Santa Clara basically for the rest of the offseason,” Barrows said, as Heavy’s Sean Deveney covered. “There were physical things he wants to work on. He wanted to get the arm even stronger. He was talking about situational football, and maybe that blitz scenario.”
Purdy has showed plenty of promise, but there are always areas to improve. After his MVP-nominated regular season, he completed 61.1% of his postseason passes for 774 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Not bad, but not great. If the 49ers want to finally hoist the Lombardi Trophy next year, it may depend on Purdy’s improvement.
