NFL Player News

Darnold will come in after Brock Purdy during Friday's preseason finale against the Chargers, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Darnold was officially named the team's No. 2 quarterback Wednesday, so his entrance behind Purdy and ahead of Trey Lance makes sense. It may be more notable that Purdy will be suiting up after he played in Saturday's game against the Broncos and looked sharp. Darnold will look to cement why he was chosen to be the top backup when he takes the field Friday.

Coach Sean McDermott said Thursday that Allen and the starters will play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Bears, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.

The first unit had a terrible outing in Saturday's preseason loss to the Steelers, so we imagine the coaching staff would like to see some more positive vibes heading into a tough Week 1 matchup against the Jets. Expect Allen's time to still be limited, while those rostering him will hope for a drama-free outing at a time when most of the other NFL starters will be taking a seat.

Purdy, Sam Darnold and Trey Lance are all scheduled to play in Friday's preseason game against the Chargers, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.

Coach Kyle Shanahan revealed his plan Thursday night, a few hours after it was reported that Darnold had won the No. 2 QB job. Lance is now the subject of trade rumors, yet again, while Purdy is locked in as the Week 1 starter and on track to make his second appearance of the 2023 preseason. Purdy was solid last week against the Broncos, completing five of six passes for 65 yards and adding a carry for eight yards.

Barkley missed practice Wednesday due to an elbow injury, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.

Barkely hasn't suited up since putting up a three-interception dud in Saturday's preseason loss to the Steelers, costing him valuable time in his attempt to make up that lost ground in his battle with Kyle Allen for the No. 2 job behind starting quarterback Josh Allen.

Lance has fallen to third on San Francisco's depth chart with Sam Darnold having won the team's backup quarterback competition, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Lance, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, has flashed throughout training camp but ultimately turned in mixed preseason results. Darnold, who arrived in free agency, has consistently shown more aptitude in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offensive system in practices, while the 49ers have remained consistent in viewing Brock Purdy as their Week 1 starter. San Francisco may still intend to keep Lance on the roster and continue his development, though Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the team could now explore the possibility of a trade.

Darnold was informed Wednesday that he will serve as the 49ers' No. 2 quarterback behind Brock Purdy to open the season, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

After joining the 49ers in free agency this offseason, Darnold will begin the 2023 campaign as the team's top backup over 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance. A first-rounder himself from the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold is coming off a strong training camp and seems to be a solid fit in head coach Kyle Shanahan's quarterback-friendly offensive system. The announcement puts Darnold firmly on the radar as a stash in deeper fantasy leagues that start multiple signal-caller, and could foreshadow Lance ultimately being moved by the 49ers.

Stroud is slated to start Sunday's preseason finale against the Saints, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The assignment will mark Stroud's third straight exhibition start, and the rookie signal-caller is expected to log about two series' worth of action, according to Drew Dougherty of the Texans' official site. Once Stroud gets his reps in against New Orleans, he'll turn his focus to preparing for Houston's Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Ravens.

White (concussion) is practicing Wednesday, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.

White entered the league's concussion protocols Monday, but he was able to clear them quickly. He'll now return to working to earn the team's No. 2 quarterback role over Skylar Thompson.

Keenum (leg) returned to practice Wednesday, Brooks Kubena of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Keenum has been out of action since Aug. 14 when he initially missed practice and was spotted with a sleeve on his left leg. He'll now return to working to earn a spot on the roster as the team's No. 3 quarterback.

Levis (lower body) returned to practice Wednesday and expects to play in Friday's preseason finale against the Patriots, Ben Arthur of Fox Sports reports.

Levis missed Tennessee's second preseason game, but the rookie second-round pick still has a chance to beat out second-year pro Malik Willis in the battle for the backup job behind starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Willis didn't help his case with Levis out, throwing for just 85 yards while playing the entire game against the Vikings on Aug. 19.