San Francisco 49er quarterback Brock Purdy (13) participates for the first time in training camp practice, Thursday, July 27, 2023, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA — Here is how the 49ers’ four quarterbacks — or three, in Thursday’s case — looked at training camp practice, in which several starters rested or were battling health issues:
BROCK PURDY
Unlike last week, Purdy did not require back-to-back days off after two consecutive days on the QB1 job. So, after Wednesday’s team-wide off day, Purdy took every first-team snap and completed 7-of-10 passes. He will practice Friday, then rest Saturday, ahead of Sunday’s team-wide off day.
“He’s healed. He’s healthy,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Guys have to get in throwing shape. That takes time. I don’t think about his injury anymore.
“You don’t step out there until you’re healthy. You have to ask Brock, but I don’t think this injury is like that. feels like that for a few months, but once they heal, it’s a pretty good track record.”
Purdy’s final throw saw him whip a 40-yard attempt toward Deebo Samuel down the right sideline. It wasn’t far enough throw to crest cornerback Sam Womack III, however, and that concluded Purdy’s “move-the-ball” drive that didn’t make it into field-goal range. Purdy also opened with a deep incompletion to Samuel, an overthrow on a 30-yard shot.
As Purdy regains the range of his long ball, he proved proficient at play-action passes over the middle (this offense’s bread-and-butter) and repeatedly hit Brandon Aiyuk in stride against a linebacker’s coverage.
“He’s making the strides we want to see, playing at a high level and picking up exactly where he left off last year,” general manager John Lynch said on the 49ers’ YouTube channel before what was Purdy’s fifth practice of camp.
“He looks like the guy we saw last year,” Lynch added. “The second year is really interesting for a player. It should be a great jump. Brock was good from the start. We’re seeing signs of an even better player. He’s getting more reps this year. He only got three or four (per practice) last year but made them count. He’s doing the same now with how many he’s getting, and he’s executing.”
SAM DARNOLD
Darnold skips ahead of Trey Lance in this roll-call review because, well, he got first crack at the second-string snaps. Darnold was 6-of-8, and the best pass was a 25-yarder that Danny Gray jumped to snare and spark a move-the-ball drive that reached the 17-yard line. Darnold’s final pass failed to hit tight end Brayden Willis in the end zone.
TREY LANCE
Lance threw a picturesque, 20-yard throw that hit Tee Martin in stride on the boundary for a toe-tap reception. However, four passes later, another Lance target to Martin went instead into the chest of linebacker Dee Winters for an interception. Lance was 5-of-8, including completions to Aiyuk, Samuel, Willis, and, on his first throw, a perfectly placed play-action throw to Willie Snead IV.
BRANDON ALLEN
Instead of serving as the third-string quarterback like every previous practice, he did not get a single snap in team drills for the first time this camp.
NOTES
Running back Elijah Mitchell has an abductor strain and likely will sit out a week and a half. “Elijah does everything right but has been unfortunate with it,” said Shanahan, noting that Mitchell got hurt at the same time of last year’s camp. … Guard Aaron Banks is in the concussion protocol. … Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore endured a bruised left knee rather than a serious ligament injury last practice. … Veterans who rested: tight end George Kittle (after warmups), left tackle Trent Williams, running back Christian McCaffrey, and, linebacker Dre Greenlaw.
Originally published at Cam Inman