It's t-minus one week until the San Francisco 49ers begin training camp, and the anticipation for the unofficial start to football season continues to build. The rookies reported to Levi's® Stadium on Tuesday, and veterans will follow suit on July 25 before camp gets underway the following day.
As it stands, the 49ers have four quarterbacks on the roster, Trey Lance, Sam Darnold, Brock Purdy and Brandon Allen, and no starter named. Additionally, the team is set to open up camp without Purdy, who is still working his way back from a UCL tear he sustained during the NFC Championship Game in late January. He underwent a repair surgery in March and continues to progress through rehab and a throwing program.
The quarterback competition has been one the hottest topics of the offseason surrounding the 49ers, but per head coach Kyle Shanahan, training camp is where the true vying for the position will take place. Lance and Darnold split first team reps evenly throughout the team's offseason programming as each were getting back into the swing of things.
Lance was cleared to play in early spring after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 of regular season while Darnold comes to The Bay after spending the past two seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
"It's very hard to come to training camp and be ready to beat someone out, and that's why you try to provide all this stuff to give guys a chance to learn the offense," Shanahan said during veteran minicamp. "Now when they go to training camp, they're ready to compete, and that's truly where I see the competition starting."
Shanahan sat down with NFL Network's Steve Wyche prior to the signing of Allen to discuss the unique situation San Francisco finds itself in with several starting-caliber QBs eager to get to work.
"We have three guys that can play, there's only one spot, and we have a good team," Shanahan said. "I see it as a cool situation.
"I get how everyone wants something set in stone, but it's not set in stone. I love the options. I love the experience that Brock got. Trey got some too. I love the ability that we have in the room. Besides those three, I love our room around them. Let's let it play out, and all I have to do is survive the press conferences."
