George Kittle has experienced a lot during his NFL career, and few players in the league can claim to have had as much exposure to quarterback uncertainty.

San Francisco's offseason was again defined by questions at the game's most important position, with Brock Purdy's elbow surgery muddying the picture under center.

On top of that, the addition of Sam Darnold to the quarterback room ensured there would be competition at the position regardless of Purdy's health. His battle with the 49ers' third overall pick in 2021, Trey Lance, for the QB2 job will be viewed by many as a referendum on the latter and his future with the team.

Tuesday's confirmation Purdy had been cleared to return to practice removed any doubt he will be the starter, meaning Kittle might eventually get a break from answering questions about quarterback controversies. 

Speaking at a press conference after the first practice of camp, Kittle said:

"Obviously I've had quarterback controversy since, I think, my whole career? So, yeah, I'm great at it. Talk about them [the quarterbacks] as much as you guys want to. I'll say nice things about everybody. That's just what I do. Just keep them coming. You're going to get the same damn answers."

Kittle has provided those responses in 2018 and 2020 when injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo ruined the 49ers' hopes and again in 2021 when Lance entered the fray. Last season, as the Niners cycled through Lance, Garoppolo and then Purdy, there was scarcely a time he was not being asked about the quarterback position.

But assuming there are no setbacks in the plan the 49ers laid out for Purdy, San Francisco will expect him to play at a level that will stop Kittle having to give the same answers.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan certainly has plenty of faith that will prove to be the case. In a recent interview with The Athletic, Shanahan provided a clear indication of his level of belief in Purdy, saying it was "not a tough decision" to decide to start the final pick of last year's draft over Lance following his stunning emergence over the course of eight starts across the regular season and playoffs in 2022.

Shanahan also expressed confidence Purdy would avoid any rustiness that could elevate Lance or Darnold into the QB1 conversation.

If Purdy can quickly shake off any cobwebs, the ceiling is extremely high for a star-studded offense that led the NFL in Expected Points Added per play across his five regular-season starts.

Reproducing such tremendous offensive efficiency over a full season will be no mean feat. Should Purdy get the 49ers operating on anything close a similar level in 2023, the number of quarterback queries directed at Kittle will certainly decrease.

49ers Training Camp: Trey Lance gets most first-team reps on high-energy Day 1

The former third overall pick enjoyed a fine start.

Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports