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Nate Sudfeld didn’t play down for the 49ers last season. San Francisco, however, re-signed the quarterback on Thursday, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Sadfeld received a fully guaranteed one-year, $2 million contract.
Sudfeld, 28, can earn up to $3 million in incentives.
According to Schefter, the other two teams were interested in signing Sadfeld.
The deal indicates that the 49ers expect Sadfeld to back Trey Lance this season. Jimmy Garoppolo is the only other quarterback on the roster and the team could trade him sooner rather than later despite shoulder surgery this week.
Lance, who finished 3rd overall in 2021, named Sadfeld as one of his mentors during his rookie season.
Kyle Shanahan likes to have only two quarterbacks on a roster of 53 players. Sadfeld spent much of last season in the practice squad as a third quarterback, but the 49ers showed their appreciation by activating him from the practice squad for the NFC Championship game. Although Sadfeld was inactive, he made some extra money with a gesture from the 49ers.
Sadfeld entered the league as Washington’s sixth-round pick in 2016. He spent four seasons with the Eagles, where he saw his only career game. Sudfeld has played 69 snaps in four career games and made 37 passes.