Sam Darnold’s exit to Vikings brings back intrigue to 49ers’ backup spot

SANTA CLARA – Sam Darnold’s apprenticeship is done with the 49ers, a year after his arrival as a contingency plan to Brock Purdy’s elbow repair and as a worthy gunslinger to outduel 2021 draft bust Trey Lance for the backup job.

Darnold agreed Monday night to join the Minnesota Vikings, also on a one-year deal, to reprise his career as a starter and get paid $10 million throwing to arguably the NFL’s best target in Justin Jefferson.

The 49ers are not left in the lurch, not with Purdy entrenched as a championship-winning quarterback, albeit of the NFC’s Halas Trophy variety rather than that of a Super Bowl hero, yet.

“It’s a nice feeling, having stability at that position,” general manager John Lynch said two weeks ago at the NFL scouting combine. “People forget last year was Brock’s first full year as a starter. That leaves you feeling pretty good about his opportunity with what we’ve already seen in a couple of years.”

Purdy’s throwing elbow became stronger than ever from last March’s ligament surgery as he passed for a franchise-record 4,280 yards with Darnold and Brandon Allen as his backups.

“Last year, he was coming off the injury. We’re past that. It just gives you a lot of confidence going in,” Lynch added. “Now it’s likely we’re kind of building around him. It gives you a foundation to build off, and that’s a really good feeling, a settling feeling.”

With Allen returning  on a one-year deal, the 49ers figure to use their 11-pick cache in next month’s draft on another quarterback or two to draft and develop. Or maybe another springs free ahead of Wednesday’s start to the NFL’s fiscal calendar.

All of that is intriguing, to a point, seeing how Purdy proved in 2022 to never underestimate a third- or fourth-string arm in training camp.

So who’s left among the free agency scraps?

Three other starting roles seemingly were filled in recent days – Cousins (Falcons), Russell Wilson (Steelers), Baker Mayfield (Bucs) – and a bevy of backups were snapped up – Allen (49ers), Jacoby Brissett (Patriots), Mitchell Trubisky (Bills), Tyrod Taylor (Jets), Mac Jones (Jaguars, via trade), and Gardner Minshew (Raiders).

Former 49ers starter Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to get released from the Raiders, but considering how awkward his tenure ended with the 49ers last year, a return is unlikely; he also must serve a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Marcus Mariota (Eagles), Drew Lock (Seahawks), Ryan Tannehill (Titans), Joshua Dobbs (Vikings), and Kyle Allen (Bills) are among those available, as are 49ers castoffs Nate Sudfeld and Blaine Gabbert.

And as the NFC Championship Game proved two seasons ago, the 49ers better have enough depth at quarterback and not get caught short-armed, which is why they celebrated Darnold’s deal upon the opening of last year’s free agency negotiating window.

Darnold pressed ahead in a competition that essentially got Lance traded to Dallas for a fourth-round draft pick. Meanwhile, Purdy embarked on one of the NFL’s most impressive comebacks, albeit overshadowed by a star-studded supporting cast. Darnold wasn’t needed as an emergency starter as Purdy quarterbacked the 49ers to the NFC West title, the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a pair of playoff comebacks en route to the NFC crown, and, eventually, an overtime loss in the Super Bowl.

When Purdy went down with a nerve-stinger issue in his left shoulder Dec. 17 at Arizona, Darnold was summoned for a three-snap cameo before Purdy returned to throw a touchdown in that division-clinching win. When Purdy sustained a similar injury the next game, in the Christmas night disaster against Baltimore, Darnold mopped up that fourth-quarter finish. When Purdy got stashed for the playoffs, Darnold started the regular-season finale against the Rams, went 5-for-5 on an opening touchdown drive, and certified his stock that surely appealed to the Vikings.

Darnold lost that finale against the Rams 21-20 as the 49ers pulled their first-string unit, dropping his record as a NFL starter to 21-35, the crux of which came his first three seasons as the New York Jets’ No. 3 overall pick in 2018.

So now Darnold heads off to compete with another former 49ers quarterback, Nick Mullens, for the Vikings’ vacancy that was created earlier Monday, when Kirk Cousins ended his six-year tenure to go join the Atlanta Falcons. The NFL Network first reported Darnold’s deal.

A decade prior, Cousins was in Kyle Shanahan’s circle of trust, the same one Darnold entered last year and proved a desirable asset. Darnold immediately blended in well, from sitting courtside at Warriors games with Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, to lasering passes on the practice field while learning the nuances of a system that isn’t too dissimilar to what awaits in Minnesota.

Purdy, who got married last weekend to his college sweetheart, soon will have a new quarterback or two to welcome into the 49ers’ quarterback room with he and Allen. But as Lynch said two weeks ago, the 49ers’ starting role is stabilized so well that the backup role is not as critical to fill as a year ago.

A year from now, who knows what awaits? Darnold could be available for a return tour if the Vikings merely used him as a bridge to a hot-shot rookie draft pick. But the expectation is that Purdy will maintain an impressive ascent — and prove worthy of a blockbuster contract extension, leaving little room to spend on a backup quarterback, again.

This round of free agency’s deals can’t become official until Wednesday. A recap of Monday’s action: defensive ends Leonard Floyd (Bills) and Yetur Gross-Matos (Panthers) agreed to two-year deals with the 49ers, who bid adieu to Darnold, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (Jets) and tight end Charlie Woerner (Falcons). The 49ers also placed a second-round, $4.9 million tender on Jauan Jennings, a restricted free agent.