San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy won’t start training camp on the PUP list, general manager John Lynch said Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Lynch said that Purdy is “cleared and ready to go,” and that he’s going to be “without restrictions.” Once he is out there practicing, Lynch said that Purdy will be QB1.
- Purdy won’t practice on day one and will have some scheduled pitch count time off. “He won’t ever throw three days in a row, so he’s going to be off tomorrow,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.
- 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa isn’t expected to report to training camp Tuesday as they continue to negotiate a contract extension, Lynch said. Shanahan said he doesn’t expect Bosa to practice without a contract extension.
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The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Will Purdy’s offensive line protect him?
With Purdy’s right elbow back to full strength, the question is whether the 49ers’ blockers can keep him healthy for the rest of the season. Since Shanahan and John Lynch took over in 2017, only one San Francisco quarterback — Jimmy Garoppolo in 2019 — has been an every-game starter. And Purdy’s elbow injury in the NFC Championship wasn’t his only injury issue last season. He also suffered an injured oblique that nearly cost him a start in Seattle.
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Meanwhile, three of the team’s offensive linemen, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel and Spencer Burford, were regular starters for the first time last season and each should be better this year. The team also expects Colton McKivitz, the starter at right tackle this year, to be as good — or better — in pass protection as former starter Mike McGlinchey. — Barrows
What this means for Trey Lance
Purdy might be the headliner Tuesday, but for the majority of training camp the most interesting 49er will be fellow QB Trey Lance. And, yes, it’s the third straight year the former first-round pick has held that title.
Lance will try to show he has the footwork, timing and accuracy — all areas in which Purdy excelled last season — to run Shanahan’s offense at a high level. And even if he accomplishes that, it won’t tamp down trade chatter. A good showing this summer, in fact, might elevate Lance’s trade value. That, in addition to Shanahan’s confidence in backups Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen, will factor into whether Lance gets dealt. — Barrows
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No need to worry about Bosa
Bosa’s teammates on Tuesday seemed decidedly unconcerned the star pass rusher wasn’t with them on the first day of training camp. “If there’s one guy I wouldn’t worry about being in shape for training camp, I think it would be Nick Bosa,” linebacker Fred Warner said.
Bosa has been as consistent as any edge defender since entering the league in 2019 and his offseason routine is as austere as any 49er’s. (He might indulge in dessert once or twice a month).
Once Bosa’s extension is finalized, the bigger question for 2023 is which teammate will step in as his bookend? Drake Jackson added weight and strength in the offseason, and the 49ers are eying him as a three-down player in future seasons. But he has to prove in training camp that he’s better than veteran Clelin Ferrell, who looked good in the spring. Austin Bryant and speedy fifth-round pick Robert Beal Jr. also will line up at the position. — Barrows
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Backstory
Purdy injured his elbow in San Francisco’s NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He exited in the first quarter after taking a shot to the arm by Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick. Purdy returned in the third quarter after backup Josh Johnson entered concussion protocol, but only attempted two passes for four yards for the rest of the game.
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Purdy told reporters he couldn’t throw the ball much more than five yards and called the elbow injury “extremely painful.”
Purdy underwent successful surgery on March 10 to repair the ruptured ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. The rookie ended his first season with 1,943 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in the regular season and postseason combined. The 49ers used four quarterbacks over the course of the 2022 season due to injuries: Lance (ankle injury and surgery), Garoppolo (foot injury), Purdy and Johnson.
Required reading
- Kyle Shanahan on the moment he knew Brock Purdy was his QB, searching for a 49ers title and more
- Kawakami: Kyle Shanahan’s longevity, Brock Purdy’s Pro Bowl prospects and other 49ers big-picture thoughts
- 49ers roster review: A look at every offensive player entering training camp
- 49ers roster review: A look at every defensive player entering training camp
(Photo: Bill Streicher / USA Today)