Brock Purdy will now be able to participate in three consecutive practices without a rest day, announced coach Kyle Shanahan during his Monday teleconference. This marks another important step in Purdy’s recovery from an offseason elbow surgery.
Purdy didn’t play in San Francisco’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in the first preseason game on Sunday, but Shanahan has indicated that he could see playing time in one of the remaining two preseason games. The Niners will face the Denver Broncos on Saturday night. This would be Purdy’s first action since tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in the NFC Championship loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on January 29. After a slight delay until the swelling in his elbow subsided, Brock Purdy underwent a procedure to repair the tear on March 10. Since then, Purdy has been closely monitored. He began a throwing program in late May, and his medical team and the Niners authorized his return to practice on July 25. At that point, General Manager John Lynch stated that Purdy could practice without limitations but would follow a plan requiring him to practice only two out of every three days. Shanahan expressed hope that Purdy could forego the required rest day after two weeks. This week comes just a few days past that benchmark.
Throughout the training camp, Brock Purdy has taken all the repetitions with the starting offense on the days he has practiced. Since the league meetings in March, Lynch and Shanahan have emphasized that Purdy will be the starter as long as he’s healthy. Purdy seems to be on track to do just that, noting last week that his arm feels good. “In terms of my arm and everything, yeah, my arm feels really good,” responded Purdy. “I’m still looking for consecutive days and trying to gain all the strength I can in the rehab process, and I feel really confident.” In other injury news for the Niners, tight end George Kittle (groin) is not expected to return this week, but Kyle Shanahan said the team anticipates his return next week. However, San Francisco expects defensive ends Drake Jackson and Robert Beal Jr., defensive tackle Kalia Davis, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, wide receiver Danny Gray, and running back Elijah Mitchell to return to practice this week. Safety George Odum (shoulder), linebacker Oren Burks (knee), and wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud (wrist) are not expected to return during the preseason, although Shanahan commented that the hope is for Odum and Burks to be ready for Week 1, and McCloud has insisted that he shouldn’t be ruled out.
“I think Ray-Ray would probably be the one who might not work out that way,” Shanahan acknowledged. “The other two we have more hope for than Ray-Ray, but as Ray-Ray keeps telling me: don’t count him out.”