Free agent quarterback Brandon Allen to sign with San Francisco 49ers

Former Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Brandon Allen hit the free agent market last month after three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. According to NFL insiders Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, Allen is reportedly signing a deal to join the San Francisco 49ers for the 2023 season.

The 49ers have a couple of young quarterbacks on the roster in Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, but they also brought in another veteran this offseason.

Former first-rounder Sam Darnold joined the San Francisco quarterbacks room on a one-year, $4.5 million deal to help hold the 49ers over while their younger signal-callers get back to peak playing shape.

Trey Lance recently returned to on-field work after undergoing surgery in mid-September to repair a fractured right ankle, along with ligament damage.

Meanwhile, Brock Purdy could miss quite a bit of the 2023 season. He tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow at the end of the 2022 season. However, Purdy is currently the favorite in the locker room to take the starting job when he returns to full health.

“He’s probably the leader in the clubhouse,” 49ers GM John Lynch said of Purdy at the NFL’s annual meetings. “I’ll let Kyle make those kinds of decisions. But I know when we talk, I think Brock has probably earned that right to be the guy.”

In the meantime, Brandon Allen, a sixth-round draft pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, will help bolster the QB group on the practice field.

Allen had a 100% completion rate last season after throwing three attempts and three completions in one game. In 15 career games played, the former Razorback has 1,611 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Since 2016, Allen has been with the Jaguars, Rams, Broncos, Bengals and, now, he has a new home with the 49ers.

More on the 2023 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2023 calendar year began at 4 p.m. ET on March 15. At that time, contracts running through 2022 officially ran out, making those players free agents.

Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams had a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 7. There were 722 players due to hit free agency in 2023.

The legal negotiation period spanned from March 13 through March 15. The new year marked the beginning of all trades going official per the league office. April 21 marked the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 26, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hit.