Rapoport expects Purdy to be 49ers' starting QB if healthy

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Brock Purdy's first full NFL offseason will be filled with plenty of rehabbing after suffering a torn UCL in his right elbow on the first series of the 49ers' NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Jan. 29 at Lincoln Financial Field. 

Nonetheless, if Purdy is good to go in Week 1 for the 2023 season, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport believes that the 23-year-old will be under center for the 49ers. 

"I think some will depend on how much can he actually do functionally in practice at that time," Rapoport told NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco and Jennifer Lee Chan on Thursday at Super Bowl LVII radio row. "If he's fine, then I expect it to be Brock Purdy because there's nothing else to me he would need to prove."

The 49ers' top two quarterbacks on the depth chart, Purdy and Trey Lance, who suffered a broken ankle against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 will be coming off injuries heading into training camp. Additionally, Rapoport notes that Purdy starting ahead of Lance will benefit the North Dakota State product. 

"Not a bad situation for Tray Lance, honestly [to be behind Purdy]," Rapoport continued. "If [he] got a lot of reps, might [the 49ers] sign a sort of bridge backup, which is not even a thing, but a couple of million bucks for someone to come in and stand there and be the backup if you need them? That might make some sense. Someone you could theoretically trade if you wanted to at the end of the preseason. 

"I'm sure they'll protect themselves somehow. If Trey Lance gets a lot of reps in this training camp to protect Purdy, like, I'm fine with that also."

RELATED: Humble Trey Lance has candidly honest outlook on 49ers QB competition

Lance will have to battle in order to regain his starting role with the 49ers, despite being the No. 3 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, but the 22-year-old is up to the task

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