49ers Position Breakdown 2024: Quarterbacks

Training camp is right around the corner which means it is time to do a San Francisco 49ers position breakdown. While other positions will need to wait until being narrowed down, the quarterback position is much more predictable as things currently stand. Here is a 49ers position breakdown on the quarterbacks for the 2024 season.

49ers Position Breakdown

There are currently four quarterbacks on the San Francisco 49ers roster. This breakdown is occurring before the start of training camp. The team usually keeps three quarterbacks on the roster, but they will all be discussed. The four quarterbacks are Brock Purdy, Joshua Dobbs, Brandon Allen, and Tanner Mordecai.

Brock Purdy

First up in the quarterback position breakdown is none other than Brock Purdy. Although this is a story already known, it is worth recapping. Purdy was selected with the 262nd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. While Purdy is still known as Mr. Irrelevant, he has become much more. In 2022, Trey Lance was the 49ers starting quarterback with Jimmy Garoppolo as the second. Purdy was the third, beating out Nate Sudfeld in training camp. In week two of the 2022 season, Lance went down with an injury, putting in Garoppolo. In December, Garoppolo went down, putting Purdy into the game. Purdy led the team to the NFC Championship game in his rookie year. That is where he tore his UCL.

In 2023, Purdy took his team to the Super Bowl. This was just his second year with the team, his first year as the known starter. While the 49ers did not win the Super Bowl, Purdy did reach over 4,000 passing yards in the regular season. He did this all despite missing training camp while he recovered from his UCL tear.

This is year three with Purdy, as well as a contract year for him. Purdy will be seeking a contract extension in the 2025 offseason. The third-year quarterback has been working all offseason and gets the chance to go through training camp healthy as the first quarterback on the depth chart for the first time in his career. Purdy will have his supporting crew returning and potentially a new young receiver. This is an offense that should consistently score at least 20 points in each game in 2024.

Joshua Dobbs

In 2023, quarterback Joshua Dobbs came in for an injured Kirk Cousins, and then became a name known across the league. Dobbs is joining the 49ers to replace Sam Darnold, the former backup. Darnold is now with the Minnesota Vikings. Dobbs is a solid backup for any team, but especially one that is competing for a Super Bowl this year. While of course, the hope is that Purdy has a healthy season, if something happens, Dobbs can win games.

Dobbs has been in the league since 2017, beginning his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This comes after his collegiate career at Tennessee. He is now a veteran, who has proved he can help lead his team to wins. In 2023, on both the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings, Dobbs passed for 2,464 yards and 13 touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. Dobbs will be a strong QB2 for the 49ers in 2024.

Brandon Allen

The third quarterback on this 49ers position breakdown is Brandon Allen. Allen will be returning for his second year with the 49ers. In 2023, Allen was the third quarterback, also now known as the emergency quarterback. This is once again the role expected for Allen in the 2024 season.

Allen has been in the league for quite some time, taking part in the 2016 NFL Draft. He is a veteran that has been a depth piece on a couple of teams. Allen is one of those players to jump from practice squad to practice squad, team to team. In 2020, he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent three seasons with them, getting some game action. He then joined the 49ers in 2023. In the case all the quarterbacks are down, Allen is expected to come into the game.

Tanner Mordecai

Tanner Mordecai is the lesser-known quarterback currently on the roster, being that he is a rookie Mordecai is expected to compete with Allen for the third quarterback on the depth chart. If he does not get that, he can likely make the team’s practice squad unless claimed by other teams as the rosters narrow down.

Mordecai signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft. He spent his collegiate career with the Oklahoma Sooners, SMU Mustangs, and most recently the Wisconsin Badgers.

All four of these quarterbacks are expected to be present at training camp this year. The order the quarterbacks are listed above is the same as the expected depth chart, with Mordecai being waived during the preseason.