When Sam Darnold signed with the San Francisco 49ers, some fans cracked jokes about Christian McCaffrey not being able to escape from him.
But Darnold actually went 4-2 in his six starts with the Carolina Panthers last season, and he developed a solid relationship with McCaffrey.
As a matter of fact, McCaffrey is actually a big fan of Darnold’s game, as he let it be known in his latest press conference.
The superstar running back praised Darnold’s ability and desire to be coached, adding that he’s also quite a tough guy.
“Sam’s great. He can do everything. He can make any throw,” McCaffrey said, according to Pro Football Talk. “He’s smart. He’s able to pick things up quickly and do his job.”
Christian McCaffrey: I don’t think Sam Darnold gets a lot of credit for his toughness.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 25, 2023
McCaffrey pointed out how much Darnold had to deal with in New York, and revealed that he’s also played through pain multiple times.
The Niners are expected to roll with Brock Purdy once he’s healthy after undergoing that elbow surgery, so Darnold will likely compete for the QB2 spot with Trey Lance.
Nonetheless, the buzz around the league is that Lance could be on the move, so Darnold might even have a chance to get a start or two before Purdy is back on the gridiron.
While he hasn’t been able to live up to the expectations that came with him when he first entered the league, Darnold could be a serviceable veteran backup in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
McCaffrey claimed that Darnold was a fan from afar of their offense and all the weapons he might have at his disposal, adding that he could have a lot of fun playing for them.
So, who knows?
Purdy might not be ready to start the season, so it could be Darnold time at Levi’s Stadium.
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49ers GM Makes His Feelings Clear About Trey Lance
