What can the 49ers expect from Sam Darnold vs Bengals in Week 8?
Brock Purdy already appears to be making progress in his recovery from a concussion, but all logical signs point to the San Francisco 49ers having to start Sam Darnold against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Though Purdy was seen practicing on Thursday, the odds are still very much in favor of Darnold getting the chance […]
Brock Purdy already appears to be making progress in his recovery from a concussion, but all logical signs point to the San Francisco 49ers having to start Sam Darnold against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Though Purdy was seen practicing on Thursday, the odds are still very much in favor of Darnold getting the chance to prove he can excel in Kyle Shanahan's system given the 49ers' starter only went into the protocol on Wednesday.
Darnold playing for Shanahan is a fascinating football experiment many are extremely eager to see, but what will it deliver should it come to pass?
Who is Sam Darnold?
The third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, the answer to the above question is largely a matter of perception. For many, he is simply another Jets draft bust who failed to make the grade after warning signs from the end of his college career, namely a tendency to commit turnovers, went unheeded.
For others, Darnold represents unrealized potential, a quarterback put into an awful situation in New York and then a similarly poor one with the Carolina Panthers whose obvious and tremendous talent has gone to waste.
A pick six on his opening pass in the NFL, albeit in a game the Jets won, set the tone for a disappointing spell in the Big Apple defined by turnovers, injuries, a bout of mono and 'seeing ghosts'.
The flashes of brilliance were there, but they weren't enough for the Jets to keep him on board beyond 2020, when he was traded to the Panthers weeks before New York selected Zach Wilson second overall.
Darnold won his first three games with the Panthers but a fast start soon dissipated and a shoulder injury effectively ruined his season as he shared time with Cam Newton after returning and went 4-7 as a starter.
He was not the starter for the 2022 season until now 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks promoted him to the role in Week 12 during his time as Panthers interim head coach.
Darnold did enough during that six-game stint to intrigue, going 4-2 as Carolina narrowly missed out on the playoffs, parlaying his performances in that period into a contract with the offense most believe is ideally designed to help him thrive.
Sam Darnold's 2022 stats and career stats
Last season Darnold completed 82 of his 140 passes (58.6%) for 1,143 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.
He averaged a career-high 8.2 yards per attempt, while his passer rating of 92.6 was also the best of his career.
For his career, Darnold has a completion percentage of 59.7 and has thrown for 11,768 yards with 61 touchdowns and 55 interceptions. His career passer rating is 78.2.
Only six quarterbacks have thrown more interceptions than Darnold since 2018, and it is his tendency to put the ball in harm’s way that the Niners will hope doesn’t cost them dear in Week 8.
Kyle Shanahan's expectations for QB2
If there was any doubt as to Shanahan's confidence in Darnold, it was removed during Wednesday's press conference.
"I have as much confidence in Sam as I could have with someone that I haven't gone into a real NFL game with," said Shanahan. "He was great in the offseason. He’s been great here in these seven weeks so far and he’s always ready to go."
His strong support of Darnold is not a new phenomenon, and Shanahan compared his second-stringer's career path to that of a 49ers Hall of Famer back in July.
Shanahan told The San Francisco Chronicle:
“I mean, Steve Young took a while to get going, and he’s one of the best quarterbacks of all time. I don’t like to compare anyone to Steve, cause of how good he is, but why can’t Sam be like that? He’s got that type of ability. He is that type of person. And I’m just pumped that we could get a talented guy like him here."
It's fair to say, for somebody who has yet to come close to justifying his draft position, Darnold has a lot to live up to should he get the start against Cincinnati.
What can 49ers expect from the offense if Brock Purdy is out?
For as well as Purdy has played for most of his first season as the first-string quarterback, the reality is the offense shouldn't change much with Darnold in the lineup.
Darnold showed in preseason he can hit the short to intermediate throws that are the heartbeat of the 49er passing game, while there's a case to be made the deep passing game could be improved with QB2 under center.
Indeed, Darnold has the arm to make pinpoint deep throws outside the numbers with consummate ease when at his best and, though he may be quite as athletic as Purdy, he can make sporadic plays with his legs when needed.
Darnold won the backup job over Trey Lance because he demonstrated he could execute the staples of the offense at a high level and offer added upside on the lower-percentage throws. If it is Darnold under center, the likelihood is nothing will be taken out of the playbook.
Kyle Shanahan’s extreme confidence in Sam Darnold is justified
His performance will be fascinating to watch.
