CBS Sports points out 49ers' red flag we already knew

The San Francisco 49ers are undergoing a relatively quiet offseason, but there is always the need to discuss what's going on with head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad.

Since the Niners aren't in the news that much right now, and we shouldn't complain about that, the talking points seem to circle back around one notable thing.

San Francisco's quarterback situation.

You've probably heard something of this already. Despite coming off a torn UCL suffered last January, Brock Purdy appears to be the favorite to start for the 49ers this season. And that would mean the Niners' aggressive investment from the 2021 NFL Draft, Trey Lance, is poised to be a backup. That'll stain San Francisco trading up to No. 3 overall in that year's draft no matter what.

And then, of course, another former third-overall pick in Sam Darnold is now donning the red and gold to add some flavor to the discussion.

The 49ers have other concerns and talking points elsewhere, yes. But, given the nature of the position's importance, it's no surprise the largest talking point has been on the Niners' quarterbacking dilemma.

Oh, and CBS Sports is suggesting the same, too.

CBS Sports highlights 49ers QB situation as No. 1 red flag

CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin took a look at the top Super Bowl contenders heading into the 2023 season, then broke down what their biggest red flag was.

It's probably pretty predictable what he chose to be San Francisco's top red flag.

Yes, Benjamin pointed out the 49ers' quarterbacking question but didn't exactly just leave it there. No, instead, he cited the "small sample size" as something potentially worrisome:

"No matter who wins their Day 1 job, or who holds it eight weeks in, the 49ers do not have the benefit of boasting proven sustainable production under center. Brock Purdy has all of seven legit starts under his belt. Trey Lance has four. And Sam Darnold, who's easily the most experienced with 55 career starts, has never been an above-average full-timer for long."

Read more: 5 significant questions facing 49ers at quarterback in 2023

Inexperience was one of Lance's biggest flags, and Purdy's rapid ascent toward the end of the 2022 season essentially eclipsed Lance in both the experience department and on the depth chart.

That said, as Benjamin pointed out, experience isn't everything. Darnold, despite being on two bad teams in the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers earlier in his career, has the most experience but lacks the success and positive impact.

Good or bad, at least the Niners have an otherwise stacked roster that can carry any quarterbacking shortcomings.

Read more at Niner Noise