National Football League

Brock Purdy's elbow surgery postponed, putting pressure on 49ers, Trey Lance

Updated Feb. 22, 2023 4:58 p.m. ET

Brock Purdy's elbow surgery has reportedly been postponed from its originally scheduled date on Wednesday, adding even more uncertainty to an already clouded 49ers quarterback situation.

According to NFL Media, Purdy is postponing the surgery due to ongoing inflammation in his elbow. The 49ers rookie quarterback tore his UCL during San Francisco's NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Purdy took over the starting QB role for the 49ers following injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. The rookie out of Iowa State led San Francisco to a 5-0 record in his first five NFL starts and playoff victories over the Seahawks and Cowboys. Purdy's ascendance from last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to leading the 49ers into the NFC title game won over fans and teammates alike.

Even Lance, who the 49ers traded up to get with the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, admitted that Purdy's performance would make it difficult for him to win his old starting job back. Lance entered the 2022 season as the 49ers' starting quarterback but suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2.

On Tuesday's episode of "The Herd," guest host Joy Taylor insisted that even though the 49ers have a loaded roster, they will not be able to win a Super Bowl until they land on a franchise quarterback.

[Kittle says 49ers' QB job is Purdy's 'to lose'; Lance eager to compete]

"Look at what happened in the Super Bowl," Taylor said. "Almost everyone felt that the Philadelphia Eagles had the better roster, had the better team after the quarterback — and by the way, Jalen Hurts was an All-Pro. They lost because of what? Patrick Mahomes. It's the quarterback. It's always the quarterback. … I love the Niners, but they don't have a quarterback.

"You have to have a franchise quarterback, and they've got to be healthy. It's just the way it goes. If you want to win a Super Bowl, which is what the San Francisco 49ers are attempting to do, that's what has to happen."

Taylor said that while the 49ers had a glimmer of hope that they could get away with Lance's lack of production over his first two NFL seasons, Purdy's surgery postponement — which increases the likelihood of him missing at least part of the 2023 season as he rehabs — exposes that issue again. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters in his end-of-season press conference that Garoppolo, who is set to be a free agent, likely will not be back with the team.

[Lance, Purdy, Jimmy G: Who will be 49ers' starting QB in 2023?]

San Francisco's options among other veteran free agents also appear to be dwindling. Tom Brady, a Bay Area native who grew up a 49ers fan, announced his retirement from the NFL "for good" on Feb. 1. Aaron Rodgers, another Northern California native who could force a trade from the Packers this offseason, said on-camera during a celebrity golf tournament that he is "not going to San Fran." Other potential acquisitions such as free agent Derek Carr are reportedly more focused on other quarterback-needy teams at the moment.

Trey Lance entering the 'critical year' on his rookie contract

Joy Taylor evaluates the 49ers QB situation, including what they must do to contend for a Super Bowl.

"Once again, you're in the exact same situation that you were in the beginning of the season," Taylor said. "You just have [fewer] backups available. … We constantly talk about the Niners as though they're not a quarterback-driven team. All of the teams in the NFL are quarterback-driven teams. Stop saying that [they are not]. It's just factually inaccurate.

"You've got to have a franchise quarterback who is healthy and available if you want to win a Super Bowl. I feel like I'm saying something that is very obvious, but I'm constantly getting pushback on this when it comes to the Niners, and it's just not true."

Thus, Taylor claimed, the pressure is on the 49ers to find out whether Lance is the franchise star worth all the draft picks they traded to select him — and on Lance to prove that he is.

"I think Trey Lance can do it, but we haven't seen or heard anything that positive about the situation to be sure of it," Taylor said.

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