Getty Sam Darnold escapes the Saints' pressure on January 8, 2023 in New Orleans.
The Sam Darnold praise train added new steam via one former NFL quarterback turned ESPN analyst.
Dan Orlovsky became the latest to rave about the San Francisco 49ers adding Darnold into the quarterback room, which included the former veteran passer of seven seasons giving this strong prediction ahead of the 2023 season:
“Sam Darnold is absolutely capable of taking this team back to the NFC Championship Game,” Orlovsky said Monday, May 8 during ESPN’s Get Up (h/t Angelina Martin of NBC Sports Bay Area). “I’m so excited to watch him if he’s the guy in San Francisco with Brock Purdy a little bit banged up. Finally at a place that has the coaching, the offensive talent, the complete team to allow his talent — one of the best talents that we’ve seen come out of college in years.”
Orlovsky added: “I’m so excited, and I think he could be the guy that brings them back to the NFC Championship Game.”
It’s not the first time Orlovsky took a liking to Darnold. Back in May 2020, Orlovsky went on the same ESPN show explaining his belief in why Darnold would be a great NFL quarterback:
Dan Orlovsky speaks on why Sam Darnold will be a great QB on @GetUpESPN:
Unfortunately, Darnold’s career is yet to see a full regular season as injuries have hampered his five NFL seasons. But with Darnold on his third NFL team, perhaps third time will really become a charm with Darnold around head coach Kyle Shanahan and the litany of 49ers playmakers.
Orlovsky isn’t the only one who lauded the addition of the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Insider Also Praised Darnold, Then Clarified Praise
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was one who helped ignite the Darnold/49ers hype train. His reasoning, though, dealt with what Maiocco saw in Darnold’s throwing ability.
“Sam Darnold might be the most — can I say this — the most talented thrower of the football that the 49ers have ever had,” Maiocco said on KNBR’s Murph and Mac Show back on Thursday, May 4. “I think that he hasn’t had really any chance to succeed since his college days [were] over. I think he’s had like four head coaches in five years, five offensive coordinators in five years. He’s a talented guy.”
Maiocco, though, clarified his remarks in a column the following Friday.
“The wording made it clear Darnold also might not be the most talented thrower of the football the 49ers have ever had,” Maiocco later wrote. “But the statement that Darnold is physically-gifted should not be considered the least-bit controversial. After all, Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. His ability to throw the football is what made him a high draft pick out of USC.”
49ers Address TE & DL spots
Meanwhile, Darnold will have a new teammate on defense while the 49ers also welcome back a familiar face on offense.
Per the league’s transaction wire, the 49ers are adding defensive tackle Marlon Davidson while re-adding tight end Troy Fumagalli.
Davidson comes in with 29 career tackles, 12 solo stops and one sack per Pro Football Reference. But he also delivered a 3-yard interception return off Tom Brady in the 2021 season.
Fumagalli was originally added to the 49ers on May 17, 2022. He was one of the players waived during the 53-man roster deadline day on August 30. He eventually got signed to the Niners’ practice squad on September 7 but was released two months later.
This time, Fumagalli is entering a TE room with two rookies in Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis. The 49ers also have part-time TE Jack Colletto from Oregon State being added on as a undrafted free agent.
Also, the league officially announced the one-year deal for Brandon Allen, who will be the fourth QB on the 49ers’ 2023 roster after coming over from the Cincinnati Bengals.