SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy made it look routine. He’d take a snap, step into a throw, and drag his right toe on an apparently pain-free follow-through during Thursday’s warmups.
Judging from the media’s 30-minute viewing period, plus his toe’s confirmed improvement, Purdy is poised to reclaim his 49ers’ quarterback throne after a two-game hiatus.
“It’s been good. I really like where I’m at in the progress, with it healing up, dropping back and throwing,” said Purdy, who remains limited in practice. “We’ll see. I’m taking it day by day still. But I feel a lot better.”
Purdy played through his turf-toe injury in the season-opening win at Seattle, then yielded to Mac Jones as the 49ers eeked out wins at New Orleans and last Sunday against Arizona.
“It’s not a secret. It’s been 2 ½ weeks,” Purdy added. “My toe has healed up and gotten better.”
Even if the 49ers (3-0) opt to shelve him another week and roll again with Jones, their ever-changing receiving corps is switching up again Sunday against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1).
Demarcus Robinson got activated to the roster after a three-game suspension, and he joined Ricky Pearsall in leading Thursday’s wide receiver drills. That’s pertinent on at least four levels:
1.) Robinson very much showed starting-caliber presence throughout training camp, a reflection of his nine seasons and 250 receptions worth of experience (2016-21 Chiefs, 2022 Ravens, 2023-24 Rams). “Just having him back out and seeing what he had done at camp, it’s the same thing,” Purdy said. “He’s feeling fresh, looks great, has great hands. I’m excited to have him back in the game plan.”
2.) Pearsall did not let a sore knee sideline him a second straight practice. He was limited on Thursday, backing up his claim that he’ll be ready for Sunday’s game. He ranks fourth in the NFL in averaging 17.6 yards per catch.
3.) Jauan Jennings has not practiced since his Sept. 14 ankle sprain at New Orleans, though he was in good spirits in the locker room Thursday and was not wearing an ankle brace.
4.) Brandon Aiyuk is “not close” to getting activated off the Physically Unable to Perform list, general manager John Lynch said told KNBR 680-AM. Aiyuk is eligible to return as soon as Monday. He had been shadowing receivers daily in warmups the past two months, but he was not seen during Thursday’s media access; Lynch said there’s been no setback.
Despite the carousel of receivers and quarterbacks, no offense in the NFL is averaging more yards per play than the 49ers’ 6.1-yard clip.
Of course, the 49ers’ steady catalyst has been running back Christian McCaffrey. He’s been targeted with a team-high 32 passes, catching 25 for 213 yards and a touchdown, including 10 receptions Sunday for 88 yards.
Robinson should help ease that receiving burden and said he envisions himself as “hopefully an asset and someone who can help win more games like we’ve been doing.” Jones described Robinson as a “friendly receiver” who made plays throughout spring workouts and training camp. “He always makes plays no matter what team he’s on,” Jones added.
The 49ers are scoring just 19.7 points per game, ranking 23rd in the NFL and far off the pace from their 3-0 starts in 2019 (32 ppg.) and 2023 (30 ppg.).
In the 49ers’ last meeting with Jacksonville, Purdy lit up the host Jaguars in that 34-3 post-bye rout in November 2023. He completed 73.1% of his passes (19-of-26, 296 yards, three touchdowns) for the second-best passer rating of his career (148.9).
Should the 49ers delay Purdy’s return, Jones would be facing his 2024 employer, for whom he went 2-5 as the Jaguars’ starter after Trevor Lawrence’s shoulder surgery. Jones said he’ll be available despite aggravating a left-knee injury; he is coming off back-to-back wins as a starter for the first time since November 2022 with the New England Patriots.
BOSA TO INJURED RESERVE
Defensive end Nick Bosa was placed on season-ending Injured Reserve, ahead of Friday’s surgery in Los Angeles on his right knee’s anterior cruciate ligament.
“The most painful thing is to see a guy like Nick Bosa, who I thought had a perfect offseason and a perfect training camp and he was playing at a defensive-player-of-the-year level,” defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said.”He was playing at an extremely high level, probably the best he’s played in the last couple of years, to end short like that after 2 games and a quarter, it sucks for him.”
The 49ers are 6-12 without Bosa since 2019, including a 5-9 finish to the 2020 season (left ACL), 0-1 in 2022 (groin), and 1-2 last season (hip/groin). Overall, they are 65-32 with him, including an 8-4 mark in the playoffs.
Saleh said rookie defensive lineman Mykel Williams’ versatility will help, but “we will keep it limited so we don’t overwhelm him with different techniques,” Saleh added.
“My role really doesn’t change with Nick not being here. I just miss that guidance,” Williams said. “I’m not going to say my timetable sped up because he got hurt. That wouldn’t be true.”
PRACTICE PARTICIPATION
Jennings, fellow wide receiver Jordan Watkins (calf) and defensive tackle C.J. West (thumb) remained out of practice.
Limited were Purdy, Jones, Pearsall, defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), guard Connor Colby (groin), and cornerbacks Renardo Green (neck) and Deommodore Lenoir (illness). McCaffrey and left tackle Trent Williams practiced in full after their routine Wednesday off.
All Jaguars practiced, though limited were running back Bhayshul Tuten (shoulder), wide receiver Dyami Brown (shoulder) and guards Eztra Cleveland (ankle), Patrick Mekari (elbow) and Wyatt Milum (knee).
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