San Francisco signs Nate Sudfeld to return as a familiar emergency option behind Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, with Tanner Mordecai and Carter Bradley battling for QB depth. Sudfeld’s workout with wideouts sparked the move, signaling the Niners will continue to search for a reliable third quarterback while keeping Purdy protected. The roster outlook suggests Bradley could be the odd man out as San Francisco balances experience with potential upside.

Sudfeld, a former sixth-rounder, has appeared in six NFL games with a 67.6% completion rate, one TD and one INT. He previously signed a guaranteed $2 million contract in SF in 2022 and later tore an ACL with Detroit in the 2023 preseason. San Francisco could stash him on the practice squad for game-day emergency use, while the QB room remains a leaning concern heading into roster cuts and fall camp.

Tanner Mordecai was waived by the San Francisco 49ers after a rough preseason loss to Denver, finishing 3-of-6 for 21 yards with an interception and 15 rushing yards as the third quarterback behind Mac Jones and Carter Bradley. San Francisco quickly responded by drafting Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, ratcheting up QB competition in the room. The move occurred alongside Ameer Abdullah’s IR designation, which cleared space for the club to sign running back Jeff Wilson Jr. and defensive end Trevis Gipson. Mordecai, who starred at SMU and Wisconsin, flashed professional tools at times in college but now faces an uphill climb to land elsewhere in the NFL or beyond. The 49ers’ quarterback room is clearly getting deeper and more competitive as they push toward the 2025 season.

San Francisco opened the preseason with a 30-9 loss to Denver in Santa Clara, a result that stings more for fantasy managers than for the final scoreline. Fourteen SF players logged snaps in a game that featured turnovers and inconsistent quarterback play, underscoring the depth concerns and the risk around volatile backup-QB performance early in the year.

Three SF passers combined for multiple interceptions while the 49ers’ offense failed to sustain drives after a bright opening by Patrick Taylor Jr. on the first drive. The Broncos dominated across the major offensive metrics, and Kyle Shanahan voiced clear frustration about the miscues: four turnovers and a clump of sacks and drops that could impact early-season depth charts.

In the fantasy lens, Purdy remains the clear QB1, but the night offered little signal from Mac Jones, Carter Bradley, or Tanner Mordecai—none of whom flashed a path to meaningful Week 1 action. Abdullah’s fumble and the trio of picks raise questions about the backups’ reliability. The second preseason tilt against the Raiders on the road becomes pivotal for evaluating SF’s back-end roster and the potential breakout candidates behind the starters.

Tanner Mordecai logged SF’s late-game action in the 2025 preseason opener, taking the final three drives against Denver. He went 3-for-6 for 21 yards, added 15 rushing yards, and came away with a turnover-on-downs sequence, an interception and a punt. San Francisco’s offense stumbled in the trio of possessions he led, underscoring the uphill climb for a Super Bowl–caliber roster to carve out a QB3 role this preseason.

The 49ers accentuated the QB competition by bringing in Mac Jones and Carter Bradley, with Kurtis Rourke drafted in the 2025 class, creating a crowded path ahead of Mordecai. Mordecai’s blueprint draws on the late-2020s greatness he flashed at SMU (7,152 passing yards and 72 TDs across two seasons, plus 302 rushing yards and 4 rushing TDs) and the 2021 Wisconsin arc cut short by a hand injury. With those veterans and the new draft asset in the mix, Mordecai’s odds to latch on active roster material this year look remote, though any hold on a practice-squad-to-active-roster leap remains a glimmer for a veteran reclamation project. He’ll get another look in the Aug. 16 game vs. the Raiders as he chases the form he showed in earlier stops and tries to recapture that ceiling.

The San Francisco 49ers are looking to maintain a calm offseason at quarterback, with Brock Purdy expected to finalize a contract extension before training camp. Last year, Purdy ascended to the starting role, leading the team despite injuries around him. As he enters this pivotal season, questions remain about his ability to perform under pressure and whether he can enhance his decision-making, especially following challenges in prior games.

Mac Jones is anticipated to back up Purdy, having gained experience last season with the Jaguars. The team also has Tanner Mordecai and Kurtis Rourke in the mix for potential depth roles. While Mordecai performed modestly in preseason games, Rourke's health remains a concern after his ACL injury. The QB competition seems less intense than last year's, with Purdy being the clear leader, but the depth positions could still face uncertainty depending on performance and recovery from injuries.