INDIANAPOLIS — The 49ers expect quarterback Trey Lance to be fully cleared to participate in organized team activities this offseason.
Meanwhile, Brock Purdy is expected to have elbow surgery next week that, potentially, could have him ready for the start of the 2023 NFL season.
“We love the two guys we have,” general manager John Lynch said on the latest "49ers Talk" podcast.
“Might we look elsewhere? Sure, because I think that’s just good business.”
Lynch said the presence of Lance and Purdy will not prevent the 49ers from attempting to sign a veteran quarterback “who can go win games with a really good roster.”
But he also explained there are financial limitations that will impact the kind of quarterback the 49ers will look to acquire to fill a spot on the depth chart.
“We’re very happy with what we have at the quarterback position,” Lynch said. “There may be a need for an additional quarterback. That’s all I’m saying. We can’t close our eyes to that and say, ‘Hey, we’re good,’ but that’s part of this business.”
San Francisco 49ers
A year ago, the 49ers kept three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster at the start of the regular season: Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo and Purdy.
Garoppolo was called upon in Week 2 when Lance sustained a season-ending lower leg injury. Purdy took over in Week 13 when Garoppolo suffered a fractured foot.
Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, is expected to get the bulk of the practice snaps in the offseason and training camp -- just as he did a year ago when the official change was made from Garoppolo to him.
The 49ers still believe Lance has nearly every attribute required to be a successful NFL starter, Lynch said.
“He just needs to play,” Lynch said. “You need to be out there. So often in our league injuries stand in the way of a player improving because it’s hard. You just start to conquer things where you can move on to the next thing and, boom, there’s a setback.”
Purdy seemed to erase any doubts about his ability to lead the 49ers. The team won eight consecutive games heading into the NFC Championship Game with Purdy at quarterback.
But, now, Purdy faces uncertainty as he is set to undergo surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm.
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Lance started just four games in his first two NFL seasons after being a starter for just one season at North Dakota State in 2019.
“Adversity is tough,” Lynch said. “Trey has handled it as well as he possibly can. He’s got all the makings. He’s the same guy, if not more convicted, than the guy we thought we were getting. He just needs to stay out on the field and stay healthy, and that’s just good fortune.
“He’s always put in the work. He’s put in everything that he can into that and he needs to stay out there and I think he’ll make all the improvements he needs to make.”