The San Francisco 49ers have signed Brandon Allen as the NFC West franchise add another quarterback to their growing options under center for 2023.
On Wednesday, veteran quarterback Allen put pen-to-paper in Santa Clara, ending his three-year run as the backup to Joe Burrow on the Cincinnati Bengals becoming the fourth signal-caller on the books. Selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth-round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Allen has become something of a journeyman after spending time with the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos and Bengals.
He made three starts with the Broncos in 2019 while he started just six games over three seasons in Cincinnati. Allen has now signed with the 49ers where he joins Brock Purdy, Trey Lance and Sam Darnold in a crowded QB room that poses plenty of questions.
The 49ers have plenty of quarterbacks to choose from but they have been ravaged by injuries. Lance - the 2021 third overall pick - suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 of the 2022 season, eventually allowing Purdy to transition from third-string quarterback to starter once Jimmy Garoppolo also suffered an injury that prematurely ended his season.
The 2022 NFL Draft’s ‘Mr Irrelevant’ after he was the final pick in Las Vegas, Purdy went 5-0 in the regular season and led the 49ers to an NFC Championship Game appearance during a spectacular rookie season - and he is expected to be the starter once he returns from ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery. The 23-year-old’s recovery means he will not be able to throw until June, while he could also miss the first few matches of the 2023 NFL season.
Lance has been linked with a trade away from the Bay Area, which may be why the 49ers signed both Darnold and Allen. The 30-year-old is likely an additional arm to help implement offensive schemes through practices and training camp, but he could be an insurance policy should Lance be dealt.
Across his career, Allen has started nine games and has a 56.7 percent completion rate, with 10 touchdowns against six interceptions. He started for the Bengals after Burrow went down with an ACL injury in 2020.
After losing their backup to the 49ers, the Bengals moved swiftly to sign Trevor Siemian on Wednesday. The 31-year-old played for five teams before landing in Cincinnati after he was drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
