Inside today's mailbag:
When the 49ers expect Brock Purdy to returnWhat will the Patriots do once Belichick retires?International expansion talksQB value in the first round of the draftSurprise players that may be traded?
From Edgar Eduardo Tejada (@edgaretejada):
Edgar, we should have more information soon. I know the 49ers have had early-to-mid June (maybe a week before their mandatory minicamp, maybe the week before it) circled as to when they’ll be able to put a more firm timetable on Brock Purdy’s recovery. Right now, they don’t know, and Purdy doesn’t know, so San Francisco will go forward through the first couple weeks of real 11-on-11 work and get a good long look at Sam Darnold and Trey Lance.
The truth is, this creates a golden opportunity for those two. At best, Purdy will miss a good chunk of the summer and be hustling to get back for the opener. At worst, one of the two presumed backups will start the season. Either way, the chance is there for either Darnold or Lance to put some level of doubt in the Niners’ heads on who to go with at quarterback, and also create some buzz that could generate outside interest in 2024.
And I say all that with the acknowledgment that the Niners Purdy, and view him as more than a plucky seventh-round pick who helped them in a bind last year—which means it’ll be an interesting spring and summer in Santa Clara, regardless of how this plays out.
