Another incredible San Francisco 49ers season has come to a close. The 2022-23 season was one that featured plenty of adversity for coach Kyle Shanahan’s team, where starting QB Trey Lance’s season was lost just moments into his second game. Jimmy Garoppolo righted the ship, leading a 7-3 record, before seventh-round rookie Brock Purdy capped off the regular season by winning five in a row.
Entering the postseason with their third-string quarterback, but also the best defense in football, the 49ers dominated their NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks by 18 points and then limited the Dallas Cowboys to just 282 yards to reach the NFC Championship.
Injuries ultimately ruined their chances to advance, with Purdy suffering an elbow injury, leading to fourth-string QB Josh Johnson getting a chance. But Johnson’s concussion led to Purdy’s return, yet his elbow issue prevented him from making any throws. The biggest question now is who will be under center in 2023 in San Francisco to start the season.
The San Francisco 49ers find themselves in an interesting situation now that QB1 Trey Lance is lost for the remainder of the season due to a broken ankle. Jimmy Garoppolo now takes over under center after he surprisingly returned to the 49ers on a restructured deal during the offseason.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. still have one of the most-talented rosters in the NFL. On offense, it’s going to be all about whether Garoppolo can take the keys from Lance with the vast amount of weapons this unit still boasts. The addition of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey adds another layer to this.
Defensively, there’s a lot to like about this unit. Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Jimmie Ward headline the three levels with a nice mix of youngsters. This should be one of the best defenses in the NFL in 2022.
