The 49ers have uncertainty at the quarterback position as the NFL offseason begins. Brock Purdy postponed surgery to repair a torn UCL because of inflammation in his elbow and now there might be concerns over whether he will be ready for the 2023 NFL season.
As a result, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer believes that the 49ers could be in the market for a veteran quarterback as a possible backup. Furthermore, Breer tossed out an interesting name that San Francisco could be looking at with free agency beginning on March 15.
“Niners GM John Lynch conceded this week that the timing of Brock Purdy’s surgery on his injured right elbow could force the team’s hand on looking for a veteran to throw into the mix,” Breer wrote in his column.
“I don’t, for what it’s worth, think that San Francisco’s going to break the bank. But I could absolutely see Lynch and Kyle Shanahan going in on someone like Baker Mayfield, who has experience in that type of offense and a boatload of starting experience. Keep an eye on that one.”
If Purdy is not healthy for the start of the season, then third-year quarterback Trey Lance almost certainly would be San Francisco's starter in Week 1. Without a reliable backup in this scenario, it's likely that the 49ers target someone like Mayfield, who has experience as an NFL starter.
Additionally, the former No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft produced respectable numbers for the Los Angeles Rams after the Carolina Panthers put Mayfield on waivers last season.
San Francisco 49ers
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Mayfield appeared in five games for the Rams, where he threw for 850 passing yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions with a passer rating of 86.4.
Should Purdy miss time to start the season, the 27-year-old might be the ideal backup candidate for the 49ers, who will again be in win-now mode.