Sam Darnold has not exactly had the career trajectory he had hoped after he was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft by the New York Jets. But he now has an opportunity to carve out a role for himself with the San Francisco 49ers, and it sounds like head coach Kyle Shanahan is excited to see what he does with that chance.
During a press conference this week, Kyle Shanahan made it clear that he is encouraged by the way Sam Darnold has looked during practice and he is excited to see him play during the preseason.
“I think Sam’s gotten better each practice,” Shanahan said in his press conference according to Pro Football Talk. “It’s his first time in this offense and I’ve been really encouraged with just how he spits the plays out, how he can call them, where he is now compared to the first couple of days.
“He doesn’t seem like it’s his first time going through it, so he’s getting better each week getting more comfortable and I’m excited to see him in some of these games.”
On the team’s preseason depth chart, Darnold was listed as the team’s second-string quarterback alongside Trey Lance, indicating that the two are competing for the role. We’ll have to see if he’s able to earn that role ahead of the season.
