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10 do-or-die decisions NFL teams must make this offseason

By Sayre Bedinger

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 20: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 20: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Jan 29, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

4. 49ers “Plan A” at quarterback

In the NFC Championship game, the 49ers might have been in a better position if Kyle Shanahan had thrown on a helmet and stepped under center than they ended up being. It’s an absolute embarrassment for the NFL that the 49ers had to throw Brock Purdy out there with his elbow injury, physically unable to throw the football, just watching the seconds bleed off the clock as the only viable form of offense was Christian McCaffrey, and some gimmick-types of plays.

It’s a good thing the NFL keeps rosters limited on gamedays, am I right?

In case you can’t sense the sarcasm, it’s an absolute joke that the 49ers ended up in the situation they ended up in. It should have never come down to that, especially in the NFC Championship game.

Going into the 2023 offseason, the 49ers may have more issues on their hands. These problems can be good, but are they? Trey Lance is the guy this team decided to really build around. They invested a ton to move up in the 2021 NFL Draft and get him, but he suffered an injury early on in the season — a dislocated and fractured ankle, to be precise.

The reality of Trey Lance’s situation is that the guy simply hasn’t played a lot of football since the 2019 season at North Dakota State, which made him a really hyped NFL Draft prospect in the first place. He’s got tons of talent, but not a lot of time on task.

Brock Purdy came in as a reliever for Jimmy Garoppolo, another 49ers QB who suffered a season-ending injury in 2022. Purdy ended up playing better than anyone expected and looked like a viable starting option going forward.

At this point, do the 49ers stick with their plan of Trey Lance? Do they pivot to Brock Purdy? Who are they going to bring in as a contingency plan with Jimmy Garoppolo almost undoubtedly moving on?

These are the do-or-die questions facing the 49ers and their quarterback situation. We need to know what “Plan A” is going to be. If everyone’s healthy, is it Lance and then Purdy? Purdy then Lance? Are the 49ers confident enough in either of those guys to not go after a prominent backup? Or will we see them go after an Andy Dalton-type, someone who could start a lot of games if needed?

The answer to this question could be the difference for a true contender in the NFC.

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