5 nightmare scenarios for 49ers in 2023
By Peter Panacy
![San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5281,h_2970,x_0,y_35/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/42/01h345sytpr8tyeqbkd7.jpg)
49ers nightmare scenario No. 4: Brock Purdy doesn't heal adequately enough
Speaking of injuries, the Niners have two quarterbacks working their way back from serious injuries suffered last season, Trey Lance and Brock Purdy.
Lance, who broke his ankle way back in Week 2 last year, has started throwing again but has likely already lost the starting bid to Purdy, who underwent offseason UCL surgery in his throwing elbow after suffering his injury in the NFC Championship loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
All signs point to Purdy experiencing a full recovery and potentially being able to start the regular season.
However, what happens if Purdy's recovery and rehabilitation take a turn for the worse? Without diving too deep into the medical side of things, it's not out of the realm of possibility.
Tack on the other possibility of San Francisco trading Lance, now a lame-duck quarterback, any Purdy setbacks would leave the 49ers with no one other than Sam Darnold.