Darnold will come in after Brock Purdy during Friday's preseason finale against the Chargers, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Darnold was officially named the team's No. 2 quarterback Wednesday, so his entrance behind Purdy and ahead of Trey Lance makes sense. It may be more notable that Purdy will be suiting up after he played in Saturday's game against the Broncos and looked sharp. Darnold will look to cement why he was chosen to be the top backup when he takes the field Friday.

Darnold has been named the 49ers' No. 2 quarterback behind Brock Purdy, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Darnold, in his inaugural season with San Francisco, will begin the 2023 campaign as the team's top backup over 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance. A first-rounder himself from the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold is coming off a strong training camp and seems to be a solid fit for coach Kyle Shanahan's quarterback-friendly offensive system. The announcement puts Darnold firmly on the radar as a stash in deeper fantasy leagues that start multiple QBs, and could foreshadow Lance ultimately being moved by the 49ers.

Darnold completed 11 of 14 pass attempts for 109 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Saturday's preseason win over Denver.

EDGE Analysis

Darnold entered the game after starter Brock Purdy (elbow) returned from injury and ran San Francisco's opening drive, coming in ahead of Trey Lance as planned. However, Darnold remained in the game after halftime to presumably make up for the drive lost to Purdy. When that drive was shortened by an interception that was no fault of his own, Darnold trotted back out to end his day on a positive note with a touchdown pass. Lance also had a touchdown pass and a pick Saturday, keeping the competition for the backup job in San Francisco a dead heat heading into the final week of the preseason.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that Darnold will play during the first half ahead of Trey Lance on Saturday, with the latter running the backup offense following halftime against the Broncos, Josh Dubow of the Associated Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

Shanahan also hinted at a possible return for starter Brock Purdy (elbow), but he would only play for a drive or two if active before giving way to the veteran backup. The flip in order between Darnold and Trey Lance confirms that the 49ers' coaching staff views this as an honest competition for the backup job. Darnold threw for 84 yards on eight attempts while only playing the third quarter last week, so the team will get a longer look at 2018's third-overall pick against the Broncos on Saturday.

Darnold completed five of his eight pass attempts for 84 yards with no touchdowns or turnovers while playing the third quarter of Sunday's 34-7 preseason loss to Las Vegas.

EDGE Analysis

Darnold started the second half behind Trey Lance as promised by head coach Kyle Shanahan, but he gave the former just one quarter of playing time compared to Lance's full half. Darnold, the veteran of this young QB room, performed well in his brief appearance, firing several crisp passes on a nine-play drive to open the second half that ended with Darnold being stuffed on a sneak attempt on fourth down. With both quarterbacks performing well Sunday, the competition for whom will back up Brock Purdy (elbow) continues with a matchup against the Rams on Saturday.

Coach Kyle Shanahan told KNBR 680 San Francisco on Friday that Darnold will take most of the second-half reps at quarterback for the 49ers in Sunday's preseason game in Las Vegas.

EDGE Analysis

With Brock Purdy slated to sit out Sunday, Trey Lance will handle the majority of those snaps in the first half before handing over the offense to Darnold. Lance and Darnold are vying for the No. 2 QB role in San Francisco, and their respective snaps during exhibition season will be the determining factor in the job battle. Both players are No. 3 overall draft picks -- Darnold in 2018, Lance in 2021 -- so Shanahan is banking on pedigree for his backup signal-caller.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday that Darnold, Brock Purdy (elbow) and Trey Lance are "all capable of being franchise-like quarterbacks," David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Shanahan mentioned Purdy's eight starts last year as an example of "franchise-like" play, also noting that Lance is the "best we've had him right now" (after some injury struggles) while Darnold "hasn't been in the best situations" prior to San Francisco. Comments from both Shanahan and John Lynch hint at Purdy being the favorite to start once he's healthy, but his ongoing rehab from UCL surgery leaves Lance and Darnold to compete for first-team reps this spring/summer, giving both opportunities to make an impression in one of the league's more fluid QB rooms. Darnold turns 26 in June and is signed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract that includes $3.5 million guaranteed.

Darnold and the 49ers agreed to terms on a one-year contract Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

EDGE Analysis

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft will be joining his third team in six years after making just six starts for the Panthers last season. Carolina preferred Baker Mayfield over Darnold to begin 2022, and the two sides were always headed for a split. In San Francisco, Darnold gives the 49ers a veteran arm while both Trey Lance (ankle) and Brock Purdy (elbow) rehab significant injuries.

Darnold completed just 5 of 15 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions in Sunday's 10-7 win over the Saints. He also rushed six times for 32 yards.

EDGE Analysis

Darnold struggled mightily in the passing game, averaging under three yards per attempt while turning the ball over twice. The signal-caller also fumbled twice but was fortunate not to lose either. In fact, offensive lineman Michael Jordan recovered one of Darnold's fumbles for a touchdown during the third quarter. After being sidelined with a preseason ankle injury, Darnold played just six games this season, completing only 82 of 140 passes for seven touchdowns versus three interceptions. While he also scored a couple times on the ground, it's unclear where Darnold -- an unrestricted free agent this offseason -- will ply his trade during the 2023 campaign, and whether he'll get another chance to start after underwhelming stints with the Jets and Panthers since being drafted third overall in 2018.

Darnold completed 23 of 37 passes for 341 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the Panthers' 30-24 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday. He also rushed five times for 20 yards and committed three fumbles, losing two.

EDGE Analysis

The big passing numbers and three touchdowns were highly pleasing to fantasy managers, but from a real-world football perspective, Darnold help sink the Panthers' chances with his ball security issues. Darnold did continue to show excellent chemistry with DJ Moore, hitting his favorite receiver on a team-high six occasions for 117 yards and a second-quarter touchdown. The 2018 third overall pick also connected with Tommy Tremble (17 yards) and Shi Smith (19 yards) for his other two scores, but his two fumbles led to a total of 10 Buccaneers points. The Panthers are eliminated from postseason contention with the defeat, but Darnold will have a chance to make one more case for starting consideration in 2023 when Carolina closes out the season against the Saints on the road in Week 18.