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The San Francisco 49ers had terrible injury luck at the quarterback position during the 2022-23 season. Trey Lance broke his ankle in Week 2 of the season, Jimmy Garoppolo broke his foot in Week 12, and Brock Purdy tore the UCL in his throwing elbow in the NFC Championship Game. Add in Josh Johnson suffering a concussion in the second half of the conference championship, and the 49ers saw every single QB on their roster suffer a significant injury.
Which QBs are on the roster heading into the 2023 offseason?
The 49ers season is finished after losing to the Eagles, and they can begin the process of planning for the 2023 regular season. Lance is signed through the 2024 season and the team has an option for 2025, while Purdy is signed through 2025. Garoppolo and Johnson are both scheduled to be free agents when the new league year opens in March. The team cannot use the franchise or transition tag on Garoppolo this offseason.
Which QBs will be on the roster when 2023 training camp starts?
We know Lance and Purdy will be on the roster. Lance is expected to be ready for the offseason workout program in the spring. Purdy’s status is still unclear. He will be out at least six months if he has surgery to repair his UCL, which puts him back in time for training camp. If he has a rupture that requires Tommy John surgery, he’ll likely spend a sizable chunk of the regular season on the PUP list.
After that, it’s anybody’s guess how the 49ers approach the quarterback position. They’ll add at least two more players to give them four in camp, but we could very well see them carry five or six quarterbacks into training camp. Garoppolo seems likely to depart this offseason, but after last season, that’s no guarantee.
The biggest rumor has been that the 49ers will pursue Tom Brady, who is a free agent. There’s nothing yet to corroborate that, so until Brady signs somewhere or the 49ers make a separate notable move, that rumor will circulate for the next two months.
The answer to this question will depend in part on how significant Purdy’s UCL injury is. If he can return for training camp, he’s likely the favorite and Lance is likely the backup. The team will add a veteran, but it seems unlikely to be a Brady. If Purdy’s UCL injury is more serious and he’ll miss training camp, the 49ers become a big player in the quarterback market when the league year opens in March.