NFL News: 49ers QB Brock Purdy could have played for a surprising NFC team

Brock Purdy is likely one of the top steals of the modern NFL era. He was the last pick in the 2022 Draft, but his career could have taken a different path if the San Francisco 49ers hadn’t selected him.

In the 2022 NFL Draft, the 49ers had the luck of holding the last pick. With it, they decided to strenghten their roster with a new quarterback, and it was probably the best decision they have had in recent years.

San Francisco welcomed Brock Purdy as the 2022 ‘Mr. irrelevant.’ However, he quickly won the race to be the team’s starting quarterback, and he’s really taking advantage of this huge opportunity.

The surprising team that could have signed Brock Purdy if he wasn’t drafted

Last year, no one imagined that a ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ would become one of the best quarterbacks in the league immediately. Nevertheless, Brock Purdy proved all those doubters wrong.

With Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo injured, the former Iowa State player jumped in to lead the offense of the 49ers. He did it so well that head coach Kyle Shanahan decided to name him the starter for the 2023 season and trade Lance to the Dallas Cowboys.

It appears that no one will displace Purdy from the starter role, as he’s proven to be a highly reliable quarterback who has impressed with his skills. However, it has been revealed that his career might have taken a different path if the 49ers hadn’t chosen him.

According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the Minnesota Vikings were heavily interested in signing Brock Purdy as an undrafted free-agent at the end of the 2022 Draft. However, the 49ers got him with the last pick of the 7th round, ending their hopes of landing the talented quarterback.

The same report indicates that if no team had selected Brock Purdy, he had three preferred landing spots as an undrafted free-agent: the Vikings, the Texans, and the 49ers. Obviously, his plan turned out better than expected.

Why were the Minnesota Vikings interested in Brock Purdy?

Even though the Minnesota Vikings have Kirk Cousins as the starting quarterback, it is not completely certain that he will stay with them for longer. According to reports, they are considering trading him and getting at least a second-round pick in exchange.

Last year, Cousins delivered an impressive season but fell short in the playoffs. While it’s impossible to say if Brock Purdy would have experienced the same success with the Vikings as he is now with the 49ers, Minnesota certainly missed a significant opportunity by not securing him earlier.