5 players you'll want to watch most during 49ers OTAs

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) / Michael Zagaris/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next

No. 2 player to watch during 49ers OTAs: Sam Darnold

Somewhat lost in the mix between Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold is arguably in the best possible situation to revive his otherwise floundering career.

And it's honestly quite interesting to see all the positive chatter out there about Darnold, too, including comments earlier this offseason that suggested a hyperbolic, "might be the most talented thrower of football 49ers have ever had," from NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco.

Hyperboles aside, Darnold is hitting a turning point in his career. Turning 26 years old this offseason, Darnold could either resurrect his career in a stable environment under head coach Kyle Shanahan and amid an array of Pro Bowlers and All-Pros on offense, or Darnold could wind up heading down the path of being a perennial backup and journeyman for the rest of his career.

Whether or not he can beat out Lance and even reserve quarterback Brandon Allen during OTAs and training camp will go a long way in determining which direction Darnold heads.