SAN JOSE — If Brock Purdy wants a vote of confidence to get by means of his elbow rehabilitation, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan certain gave him one Wednesday night time.
Shanahan, in main off the Dwight Clark Legacy Collection occasion on the California Theatre, glowed not solely about Brock Purdy’s restoration however how he may be even higher than final season’s rookie present.
“So long as Brock’s elbow heals proper, he’ll be the very same man, and when you've gotten a clear break like that or a tear, will probably be,” Shanahan stated. “You'll be able to have a setback and one thing can go incorrect, however the whole lot’s been solely on tempo.
“Simply watching him now, he’s doing the identical drills all the opposite quarterbacks are doing, he’s simply utilizing a towel to throw. However he’s nonetheless doing violent motions, he’s nonetheless shifting it. He’s simply not doing it with a soccer.”
Purdy is 2 months into his prescribed six-month restoration, from having an internal-brace restore of the ulnar collateral ligament that was torn on a first-series sack within the 49ers’ NFC Championship Recreation loss at Philadelphia. (Sidebar: That rematch will happen this Dec. 3 in Philadelphia.)
Purdy has been on the 49ers’ offseason program because it opened April 17, and whereas Shanahan praised fellow quarterbacks Trey Lance and Sam Darnold, the seventh-year coach spelled out simply how assured he's in Purdy’s future.
“To me, when he can leap in there and go full pace, as a result of he obtained the expertise (final season) and since he can sit again and watch it, I believe he’s gonna be a hell of lots higher,” Shanahan advised Wednesday night time’s viewers, consisting of some hundred 49ers followers who confirmed as much as the annual Golden Coronary heart Fund occasion benefitting 49ers’ alumni.
Sunday night time, Oct. 8#49ers host #Cowboys, who in all probability received’t have Ezekiel Elliott lining up at middle like their final snap within the playoffs https://t.co/bUdRkiXyXy
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) Could 11, 2023
What about Lance, the 2021 No. 3 general choose, and Darnold, a touted thrower however nonetheless a reclamation venture through the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers?
Shanahan talked them up, too. However to an extent, due to a obtrusive distinction between them and Purdy.
“We all know we've a quarterback who’s accomplished it on the market at a excessive stage within the NFL that we will win with,” Shanahan stated. “I additionally consider we've two extra on our roster, strongly. However one different man confirmed it.”
Purdy, the final participant drafted final yr, confirmed it by making the most of the identical alternative — beginning with an all-star supporting solid — that Lance had getting into final season. A fractured ankle in Week 2 ended Lance’s second season, however he's wholesome and absolutely cleared to follow now, with organized group actions beginning Could 22.
Lance’s fractured finger from the 2021 preseason lingered into the 2022 offseason, Shanahan famous, including that it confirmed Lance’s toughness that he by no means complained or tried to regulate his grip. Shanahan stated Lance’s ankle healed quick and he’s in a greater place than he was a yr in the past, due to the finger concern and due to his studying within the background.
“I actually consider Trey can go try this (success) however Brock’s already accomplished that, and that’s an excellent factor for us to have,” Shanahan stated. “That’s not one thing that I’ve obtained to make an announcement about. That’s one thing that our gamers know from watching the silent tape.
“That’s one thing I can see day by day when watching the eight video games. We all know what we've.”
Purdy received video games and received over teammates with an idyllic mixture for only a studious 6-foot-1 QB: He deftly averted turnovers, cleverly maneuvered previous defenders, and he obtained the ball into the fingers of weapons together with Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and extra.
Purdy accomplished 67.1 p.c of his regular-season passes in six video games/wins upon changing an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, then 65.1 p.c within the playoffs, which included wins over Seattle and Dallas earlier than his opening collection in Philly ended after six snaps, with a strip-sack fumble pressured by Hasson Reddick.
It’s “unfair” to hurry to judgment on Lance, Shanahan stated, when he performed primarily two video games as a rookie and one full sport final season (in a Chicago downpour, thoughts you). Lance required a follow-up process Dec. 30 on his ankle, and though he’s seemingly their QB1 on the sphere once more with Purdy’s absence, Darnold will push him greater than Nate Sudfeld did a yr in the past within the offseason program.
“I actually consider in my coronary heart what Trey may be. It nonetheless takes time to go and also you’ve obtained to do it,” Shanahan added. “However within the meantime, we've a man sitting there who already has accomplished it, and that’s an excellent factor for the Niners, that’s an excellent factor for Brock, and, you already know what, that’s an excellent factor for us.
“I’ll let it play out and we’ll see if Brock will get wholesome. We’ll see how a lot floor Trey can acquire within the meantime by means of follow and issues like that. And when Brock will get again and is wholesome, we’ll see the place we’re at.”
As for Darnold, Shanahan known as him “an unbelievable thrower” who was born to try this, including that Garoppolo is, too.
Ultimately, “there’s a lot extra else to it,” Shanahan stated, primarily describing the best quarterback as one who strikes the chains and excels together with his timing, his eyes, and the way he reacts within the pocket.
See: Purdy.