Nick Wagoner, an NFL reporter at ESPN, has been covering the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL since 2016. Prior to that, he covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years at ESPN. Throughout his time with the company, Wagoner has led ESPN’s coverage of significant events such as the Niners’ 2019 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, the Rams’ inclusion of Michael Sam as the first openly gay player in the NFL, Sam’s pursuit of a roster spot, and the team’s relocation and stadium situation. You can follow Nick on Twitter @nwagoner.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has moved past any concerns about his surgically-repaired right elbow as he enters his second NFL training camp.
“I feel almost back to normal,” said Purdy. “I just have to find my rhythm, go through progressions, and play like a quarterback.”
Purdy’s recovery from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, which he suffered in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 29, has been a lengthy process. He underwent surgery on March 10, but now his focus is on improving and helping the Niners achieve their Super Bowl aspirations.
His progress has instilled confidence in his teammates and coaches, who believe in his ability as the undisputed starting quarterback.
“We’re not worried about Brock,” said coach Kyle Shanahan. “He knows how to play. We just need to focus on improving as a team, and he’ll keep getting better along the way.”
With his health mostly in check, the next test for Purdy is replicating or surpassing his performance from the 2022 season. The Niners’ hopes of winning their sixth Lombardi Trophy rely on his ability to do so.
Purdy took over for Jimmy Garoppolo after Garoppolo broke his left foot in December and led the team to several victories to close out the regular season and win two playoff games. Among quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts, Purdy ranked in the top ten in various categories, including QBR, completion percentage, yards per attempt, and touchdown to interception ratio.
No one anticipated Purdy’s rookie success, but now, with an entire offseason dedicated to him being the QB1, he and the Niners are focusing on areas where he can improve. Despite outside predictions of regression, the team believes Purdy has the potential to continue evolving.
One area of improvement Purdy is targeting is finding the balance between staying in the pocket and going through his progressions versus making plays off-script. While Purdy excelled at escaping pressure and delivering big plays, there were instances where his impatience led to missed completions. The team aims to help him strike the right balance.
“It’s about knowing when to break and when not to,” Shanahan explained. “Brock does a great job, but towards the end of the season, he sometimes left the pocket too early. It’s a fine line, but we accept the good with the bad.”
The 49ers don’t want to eliminate what made Purdy successful in his rookie season, but rather help him understand the risk/reward calculation he needs to make on each play. This requires countless practice reps, which Purdy is receiving this offseason.
Though limited to two days on and one day off during camp practices, Purdy is gaining more reps than he did as a third-string player last year. The hope is that the additional snaps will help Purdy make quicker decisions, especially when a receiver isn’t clearly open, by assessing the likelihood of a successful play.
Focus on quicker decision-making will also contribute to Purdy’s health and reduce contact on his drop backs. The team aims to decrease his contact percentage, which ranked 22nd in the NFL last season.
As defenses study Purdy’s tape, they will undoubtedly devise strategies to slow him down. Purdy had exceptional QBR ratings against man coverage and blitzes, but showcased room for improvement against zone coverage and non-blitz situations. Teams with talented front lines will likely opt for more zone coverage and pressure from the defensive line.
Nonetheless, Purdy acknowledges the high expectations set for him and his team and is determined to keep improving in all areas.
“The bar is set high, and we all expect that from ourselves,” said Purdy. “I need to keep growing and pushing our offense to reach our desired level of performance.”
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