The San Francisco 49ers may be on their way to becoming a backup QB image rehabilitation center.
In 2023 Sam Darnold signed a one-year deal with the 49ers for up to $11.5 million to be the backup for QB Brock Purdy. Darnold played well in the preseason and didn’t have any major issues when he did see limited regular season action. It was enough to get him a contract to start for the Minnesota Vikings, which he parlayed into a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.
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This offseason the 49ers signed former No. 15 overall pick Mac Jones to back up Purdy. Jones spent last season as a backup to Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence and struggled in seven starts when Lawrence was out.
Jones may be hoping to follow the Darnold path, and 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak believes Jones could still be a starting-caliber QB in the NFL
“Going back to college, we obviously studied Mac coming out and we thought very highly of him and his skillset as a thrower and the things he did in college,” Kubiak said Thursday in a press conference. “And then obviously as a rookie, what he did in the NFL was very impressive. Mac’s a really good thrower. He stands in the pocket, he’s a strong guy and he’s really smart. And so he’s got a lot of traits that we like for a starting quarterback. And his career has kind of gone up and down a little bit the past couple years, but we saw the same things in Jacksonville that we loved about him as a college prospect, and that really excites us. And he’s doing a great job. And I think Mac’s capable of being a starter in this league. And so he’s going to help us if he needs to.”
The last line from Kubiak is the key here, because last season neither backup QB Brandon Allen nor Joshua Dobbs looked the part of a starting-caliber QB in their respective starts. Allen played okay in Green Bay, but he looked like a backup. The same went for Dobbs when he started the season finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
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Purdy has been mostly healthy since returning from a UCL tear in his throwing elbow that he suffered during the 2022 NFC championship game. However, last season underscored the need to have a backup QB capable of winning a few games if Purdy is unavailable.
The 49ers this season don’t look poised for a dominant run, so every game could be significant if they want to return to the postseason. Having a QB who can function like a starter in Purdy’s absence could be the difference between San Francisco making or missing the playoffs. And if Jones does have to step in and he does play well, he could become the next successful QB reclamation project by the 49ers.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers depth chart: Can Mac Jones be Sam Darnold 2.0?