NFC Notes: Trey Lance, Brock Purdy, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

The 49ers would prefer to stave this off as long as possible, but the success of seventh-round QB Brock Purdy has set up a situation down the road where San Francisco will have to choose between him and former first-round QB Trey Lance. Purdy has been excellent and the 49ers look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but the level of investment could hardly be more different between the two. San Francisco traded a huge package of picks for Lance, including two first-round picks, while Purdy was taken with the literal last pick in the draft this offseason.

For now, 49ers GM John Lynch says they’re all just trying to stay in the moment. 

“I know it’s my job, but I’ve really been focused on, like, let’s not even go there. Let’s ride this thing out. I’m going to need Kyle’s participation. I’ve got my own thoughts. But I’ve really tried to be focused on, let’s just keep taking this as it comes. We’ll figure it out,” Lynch said via the Athletic’s Tim Kawakami. “We’re left with a really good situation with a guy we moved a lot for to get in Trey. We still love his skills. And Brock’s been more than we ever could’ve asked for. We liked him a lot, but I’ve been telling people, ‘Yeah, we did wait ’til the last pick of the draft.’ (Laughs.)

“The one thing I will say, the athleticism, putting him in a game, that has surprised us. But from Day 1, he was functioning at a high level out here. OTAs, all that. Everybody’s looking at each other, ‘Wow, this guy’s got some courage.’ He threw into small windows, he was efficient. He’s performed from the start, but you never know until you throw him in there. Same can be said now we’re going to playoff football. How’s he going to respond? But he’s checked every box thus far, so I wouldn’t anticipate seeing anything different.”

Lynch added one way or another, both Purdy and Lance will be on cheap rookie contracts, which will help the team address the rest of the roster. 

“And the way we’re set up, we’ve got a lot of high-paid guys (at other positions). What’s one way you do that? You’re not paying your quarterback what some people are paying their quarterback,” Lynch said. “There was some strategy certainly when we were thinking about shifting over to Trey and all that. That’s how we could keep this team together. That is one potential way. Who knows where we’ll go? I think we have a good situation, though.”