05 July 2023 , 15:45
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Sam Darnold has commented on how he is adjusting to a new offence since joining the San Francisco 49ers.
The 26-year-old signed for the NFC West NFL team in March on a one-year contract and is battling for the starting quarterback spot. As he continues to be put through his paces, he has shed some light on the gradual improvements he has made with his new team.
“Yeah, it’s been a work in progress,” Darnold told NBC Sports. “I thought I got better throughout camp and just got more comfortable with the system. So still got to study and go through the process of continuing to learn the system. But I’m excited for it, and it’s been really fun so far.”
With Brock Purdy on track in his recovery from an elbow injury, he is set to remain as the 49ers’ starting QB when the team starts the new season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, should he suffer any setbacks, it would leave the door open for Darnold or Trey Lance to step into the all-important spot on an NFL team.
Darnold played just six games for the Carolina Panthers last season and missed the opening half of the campaign due to an ankle injury. He managed to complete 82-of-140 passes (58.6%) for 1,143 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.
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Ahead of reporting for training camp on July 25, regarding his fitness Darnold said: “These last couple of weeks, I've been doing [physical therapy], working out a little bit. But going to start ramping it up here this next week and get going so I'm ready for camp."
Lance, on the other hand, completed just 54.9% of his passes over the course of his first two seasons in the NFL. Lance broke his right index finger in the final preseason game of 2021, which hampered him throughout his rookie campaign and the spring period of last year.
Darnold and Trey Lance will be keen to step up as the starting quarterback should Brock Purdy not return to full fitness before the start of the season (Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)He was making steady progress but broke his ankle in the first quarter of week two last year, which ended his season before it really began. His injuries are now behind him, but according to an ESPN insider, they believe Darnold is ahead of Lance in the 49ers’ quarterback pecking order.
“My guess would be Darnold has a chance to really shine and excel,” they said. “But there's a lot of preseason football left for those two guys to distinguish themselves. Brock Purdy is the one, if healthy. And I think going into camp, Sam Darnold, I think, has the edge going into camp.
“But, by the way, Trey Lance could play great. He worked over the summer with [Chiefs QB Patrick] Mahomes, and I heard he's made tremendous improvement. I'm anxious to see how much he's improved and whether he can make that jump. Let's see it."