San Francisco 49er quarterback Brock Purdy (13) participates for the first time in training camp practice, Thursday, July 27, 2023, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA — Here is how the 49ers’ quarterbacks meandered through Saturday’s practice, perhaps the most unimpressive one of training camp:
BROCK PURDY
Aside from conditioning work such as running and lifting weights, Purdy had this practice off to rest his surgically repaired elbow, as scheduled after throwing on back-to-back days. He was a sounding board for Sam Darnold after practice on the field quarterbacks do extra work.
TREY LANCE
His 13th and final throw of team drills helped salvage the day, though Willie Snead IV played a bigger role on that 25-yard touchdown reception. Snead he made a phenomenal catch at the front left pylon while being shielded from the ball by cornerback Sam Womack III.
Lance, for the third straight practice, waited behind Darnold before entering full-team work. Three incompletions opened Lance’s string, including 25-yard attempts to Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel.
Aside from the grand finale to Snead, Lance and Christian McCaffrey combined on a sweet throw-and-catch against linebacker Curtis Robinson, who later avenged that with a pass breakup of a target to Kyle Juszczyk. Lance was 8-of-13 in full-team drills.
Charvarius Ward made a nice play to defend a Lance pass targeted for George Kittle.
One more play of note was the one immediately preceding Lance’s touchdown pass: He took off running up the middle, something that must become more prevalent if the 49ers are to maximize his multi-talented skillset.
SAM DARNOLD
Darnold (6-of-11) opened his final series by opting not to check the ball down to Juszczyk and instead going for the gusto: Brandon Aiyuk broke free past the defense. Darnold’s 45-yard attempt came up short and allowed safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. to rush over and break up the threat.
Darnold had a couple of other passes off target, and one bounced off Brayden Willis’ hand and nearly got intercepted by Robinson.
BRANDON ALLEN
Two days after receiving no snaps in practice, Allen’s first throw Saturday saw him also go for the gusto, only it was an incomplete lark into triple coverage toward Danny Gray, whose helmet was knocked off by Myles Hartsfield with coverage also executed by D’Shawn Jamison and Tayler Hawkins.
Allen (6-of-8) rallied and found Saturday’s hero, Snead, on a 40-yard throw down the left sideline between the coverage of Qwuantrezz Knight and Tre Swilling; Snead left the defenders on the ground and raced untouched toward the end zone.
Originally published at Cam Inman