SANTA CLARA – The 49ers decided not to take any chances with Pro Bowl quarterback Brock Purdy in the regular-season finale.
And that opens the door for backup quarterback Sam Darnold to show whether his skills on the practice field translate to games as he runs the 49ers' offense.
“As an organization, we're just excited about him,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said of Darnold while appearing on KNBR's “Murph & Markus” Friday morning.
“And I think everyone is excited for him to have the opportunity to play this week and see what he can do against the Rams.”
Darnold will make his first start with the 49ers on Sunday in their Week 18 game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers clinched the NFC's No. 1 playoff spot, prompting the team to keep Purdy on the sidelines for the game.
Darnold, 26, signed a one-year contract with the 49ers in the offseason at a time when it was unclear how Purdy would respond after undergoing surgery in March to repair torn ligaments in his throwing arm.
He clearly prevailed over Trey Lance as a backup player and led the 49ers to trade Lance to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 49ers moved up and selected Lance No. 3 overall in 2021.
Darnold entered the NFL in 2018 as the No. 3 pick of the New York Jets, where he largely struggled in 38 starts over three seasons.
Then, as part of an equally inept Carolina organization, Darnold started 17 games for the Panthers over the last two seasons, posting an 8-9 record in those appearances.
Darnold signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the 49ers in the offseason.
“I was incredibly impressed because Sam could have accomplished a lot this offseason,” Lynch said. “I think he could have made more money somewhere else, but Sam wanted to be part of what we had. He wanted to go into the lab with Kyle Shanahan and his offensive coaches.
“And he knew that could mean supporting Brock Purdy. We knew, 'Hey, if Brock's healthy, he's our guy.'”
In limited playing time this season, Darnold has completed 12 of 20 pass attempts for 108 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
There's no question why Darnold entered the NFL as such a coveted draft pick. He's a gifted thrower who appears to be continuing to look good this week as he shares training photos with Purdy.
“He’s earned everyone’s respect and, my goodness, is a talented pitcher,” Lynch said of Darnold. “Again, yesterday at practice he can do some things. They talk (about) arm talent – it’s a buzzword that gets thrown around – but if you want to see what arm talent is, just look at Sam Darnold.”
“He can do some special things with the ball.”
Darnold's contract expires at the end of this season and it's clear the 49ers want him back. The only question is whether there will be better opportunities for him elsewhere in the NFL.
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