49ers’ quarterback competitors amongst NFL’s prime 10 coaching camp storylines in 2023

What do the film “There’s One thing About Mary,” the tv franchise “The Bachelor” and the upcoming 49ers coaching camp have in widespread?

NFL quarterbacks and too many suitors for one place.

Brett Favre finally misplaced out when 5 males vied to be the boyfriend of actress Cameron Diaz’s character within the 1998 romantic comedy.

Jesse Palmer failed as a contestant in search of love with 25 single ladies, however later wound up internet hosting the favored actuality sequence.

And now we marvel what is going to turn into of Brock Purdy, Trey Lance and Sam Darnold.

These three injury-plagued quarterbacks will likely be battling to turn into the 49ers’ starter when camp opens Tuesday.

If this have been a Hollywood script, Lance, for whom the 49ers chased away Super Bowl quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, could be forged because the golden boy.

Purdy, who went from the final choose of the 2022 draft to an Offensive Rookie of the Yr candidate when he went 7-1 as a starter, could be the lovable underdog.

And Darnold, as soon as a can’t-miss prospect, who now brings a 21-34 document to his third franchise, would be the party-crasher.

Purdy is the favourite, however it isn’t recognized if he’ll follow earlier than the tip of camp as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn UCL in his throwing elbow, suffered throughout the NFC Championship sport.

Within the battle between two former No. 3-overall picks, the 49ers absolutely favor Lance to emerge forward of Darnold to justify their resolution to commerce a boatload of draft capital to draft him.

However Lance, who’s coming off a fractured fibula final season, has thrown simply 420 aggressive passes since graduating highschool in 2018, so his growth is behind the curve.

And that leaves the free-agent addition Darnold, who rode a roller-coaster over 5 seasons with the Jets and Panthers.

What precisely is at stake?

The winner of the battle will get to steer a crew with six All-Execs and bonafide Tremendous Bowl aspirations.

“It’s probably the most fascinating preseason quarterback competitors I can keep in mind due to what’s on the road,” one NFL coach informed The Put up. “They might problem the Eagles atop the NFC, if they’ve the suitable man. Or quarterback may drag down the entire promising season.”

Apart from Aaron Rodgers’ transformation of the Jets, the 49ers are the NFL’s most fascinating storyline of coaching camp, however listed below are 9 others exterior of New York to observe, too:

Damar Hamlin returns

Simply 222 days after he suffered cardiac arrest and was introduced again to life by a quick-acting coaching workers on the sector in entrance of a “Monday Night time Soccer” viewers, the Payments security is expected to make his next true tackle.

Hamlin already gained medical clearance to affix non-contact organized crew actions and minicamp and is anticipated to be a part of bodily training-camp practices, however the larger nation ought to be conscious when the Payments face the Colts on Aug. 12.

It’s doubtless Hamlin will take successful or ship successful just like his fateful collision with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins as he fights — like some other backup — to earn a spot when the roster cuts from 90 to 53.

Sean Payton-Russell Wilson marriage

A slimmed-down Wilson wants a savior after his Corridor of Fame-trending profession blew up with profession lows in completion proportion, yards per try and passing touchdowns in 2022 throughout his first season with the Broncos.

Payton came out of a one-year hiatus trying to show that his success isn’t all tied to Drew Brees and that he can win with a number of quarterbacks (like Andy Reid) as a substitute of only one (like Invoice Belichick).

Wilson’s status as a teammate and chief additionally wants harm management.

Wilson has needed to play for Payton since attempting to drive a commerce from the Seahawks to the Saints in 2021.

Will Payton’s offense look the identical with one other undersized quarterback?

In the meantime, in Inexperienced Bay…

Because the Jets get accustomed to an NFL universe revolving round Aaron Rodgers as its solar and filmed by “Arduous Knocks,” the Jordan Love period begins in Inexperienced Bay.

The final full season by which the Packers’ main beginning quarterback wasn’t Corridor of Famer Brett Favre or future inductee Rodgers was 1991, with Mike Tomczak and Don Majkowsi.

Simply because Love was a first-round choose, like Rodgers, and simply because he sat the bench for his first three seasons, like Rodgers, doesn’t imply Love will likely be pretty much as good as Rodgers.

Then once more, the Packers wouldn’t have traded Rodgers with out pleasure concerning the potentialities that Love generated together with his behind-the-scenes work.

The NFC North race is huge open.

Too few cooks within the kitchen

The anti-running again sentiment has gone too far.

Free agent Dalvin Prepare dinner, 27, averaged 4.4 yards per carry, totaled 1,468 yards from scrimmage and made a fourth straight Professional Bowl final season, however was released by the Vikings.

It’s thought the Dolphins, who have already got signed three operating backs and drafted one other this offseason, and the Jets, who’re awaiting Breece Corridor’s return from a torn ACL, are the principle bidders for Prepare dinner.

Might he tilt the steadiness of energy within the AFC East?

Different big-name gamers who may need much less within the tank, however stay free brokers embrace operating again Ezekiel Elliott, defensive finish Jadeveon Clowney and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Deshaun Watson … once more

Watson’s authorized standing and soccer availability have been the dominant tales getting into every of the previous two coaching camps and resulted in 700 days between his taking part in in NFL video games.

The three-time Professional Bowler regarded nothing like his previous self final season in six video games (58.2 % completions and 7 touchdowns to 5 interceptions) after returning from a suspension stemming from sexual misconduct allegations.

Watson is never talked about with the elite quarterbacks these days, slipping to No. 28 (out of 32) in NFL.com’s rankings.

However one NFL coach informed The Put up that the Browns are his choose for a NFL sleeper crew as a result of “Watson ought to be extra snug,” and new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is pushing the suitable buttons.

Quoth the Raven: No excuses

Lamar Jackson desires an enormous contract?

Sign him for five years, $260 million after a drawn-out, two-year negotiation.

He desires higher receivers?

Sign Odell Beckham Jr. and draft Zay Flowers.

Now the strain is on Jackson to remain wholesome and return to his 2019 MVP kind whereas adapting to a brand new play-caller.

Will Todd Monken undertake lots of the run-pass choice ideas his predecessor as offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, utilized?

Or will Jackson be requested to play extra historically?

Beckham missed all final season after his second torn ACL.

If he’s lastly wholesome, he’s going to demand the ball. Historical past says that if he doesn’t get it sufficient, he’ll create a distraction.

Bets on the Lions

Let’s jam two concepts into one.

First, the Lions are the darlings of the league, headed towards an enormous stage within the NFL Kickoff Recreation in opposition to the defending champion Chiefs in Week 1.

David Montgomery and first-round rookie Jahmyr Gibbs operating behind one of many league’s finest offensive traces ought to be an old-school offense.

Second, 5 of the 9 gamers suspended for part or all of this season for violating the NFL’s playing coverage performed for the Lions final season.

Just one (receiver Jameson Williams) was anticipated to play an enormous function.

However the Lions ought to be an instance to all groups to higher emphasize the finer factors of the difficult coverage with their gamers and staffers throughout camp.

Rookie monster

Which — if any — of the three quarterbacks drafted throughout the prime 4 picks of the primary spherical this 12 months will win his preseason battle in opposition to a veteran and turn into a Week 1 starter?

It’s Bryce Younger versus Andy Dalton for Carolina, C.J. Stroud versus Davis Mills for Houston and Anthony Richardson versus Gardner Minshew for Indianapolis.

Tennessee’s rookie second-round choose Will Levis has to first beat out 2022 third-rounder Malik Willis as the first backup.

But when both of these two kids outplays Ryan Tannehill, the Titans may look completely different after camp as a result of Tannehill will be minimize for $17.8 million in financial savings.

Life after Tom

Until he modifies his thoughts about unretiring for a second time, this would be the first coaching camp of the millennium with out Tom Brady on a area.

For the Buccaneers, which means a quarterback battle between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask, and a plummet from nationwide relevancy.

For the Saints, it means an opportunity to reclaim NFC South supremacy.

However the true winner may be Rodgers, who, at 39 years previous, is lastly probably the most completed lively quarterback within the NFL — having outlasted just lately retired contemporaries Brady, Brees, Matt Ryan, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers.