Why Signing Sam Darnold Made Perfect Sense for the 49ers
Two quarterbacks alone were never going to be enough for the San Francisco 49ers. The fact that two of them, Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, are working their way back from injuries made it pivotal for the 49ers to sign a veteran quarterback in free agency.
Former Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold ended up being that addition. It's a signing that made perfect sense for the 49ers. For starters, the 49ers were rumored to have interest in acquiring Darnold two years ago. That was when the whole offseason was flooded with the 49ers conducting their due diligence on a vast array of quarterbacks that could replace Jimmy Garoppolo. So, there was always that connection with Darnold already since he had been on their radar before.
Another reason the signing makes perfect sense is the familiarity he has with Christian McCaffrey and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. The two of them certainly played a hand in informing the 49ers the type of guy and player behind the scenes that Darnold is. Right from the jump at his introductory press conference, Darnold didn't give credence about the status of being a backup versus as a starter. All he cares about is contributing to the team, which brings me to my last point.
The greatest contribution that Darnold gives the 49ers is competition. Lance will now have sufficient competition throughout the offseason with Darnold as opposed to a lesser quarterback. Now, Darnold has been mediocre for a large portion of his career, but he is coming off a season where he played well enough to keep the Panthers in games when Wilks took over as the interim head coach. He has a bit of momentum in his game that should be able to make it uneasy for Lance.
Competition is what the 49ers love in the offseason as a means to get the best version of a player out of them. Lance last year didn't have any competition. The hype around him in training camp last year compared to his rookie season was night and day. Why? Because he had Garoppolo to compete with in his rookie year. The hope is that Darnold can bring the best out of Lance. The 49ers are going to need Lance to play well and ascend. Lance himself needs to play well or else the 49ers will easily pull the plug on him in favor of Purdy.
If Lance ends up playing at a high level and holds on as the starter for a long stretch, then watch him eventually give credit to the help and pressure that Darnold put on him. Should that occur, then signing Darnold would end up being the best signing of the offseason. Plus, to have him as the third-string quarterback, unless Lance completely flops, is a great asset to have.
