SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy will start Sunday against Jacksonville and was removed from the injury list entirely.
Those who were questionable were wide receiver Jauan Jennings (knee, shoulder) quarterback Mac Jones (knee), and guard Connor Colby (groin). C.J. West (thumb) and Jordan Watkins (calf) are out.
“He did a lot more than last week and he looked a lot better,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.
The 49ers (3-0) host Jacksonville (3-1) at Levi’s Stadium (1:05 p.m., Fox).
It remains to be seen if Purdy and Co. will be at risk of giving away information to the Jaguars. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh alleged Thursday Jacksonville is adept at poaching signs “legally” during games and using the inside info to their advantage.
Given Saleh’s time as a head coach for 56 games from 2021 through 2024 with the New York Jets, he has extensively dealt with the New York media and understood his thoughts on the matter would become public. And a few mind games between opponents never hurt anyone.
Shanahan…
The 49ers coach offered clues twice during his KNBR-680 weekly appearance Thursday following practice that pointed toward Purdy returning as the starter after sustaining a turf toe injury in a season-opening win in Seattle.
“I think it’s feeling better each day and if that continues he should be good on Sunday,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully that continues, it’s always delicate with the toe.”
Later, when addressing a question about the status of Jones, Shanahan said, “He wasn’t able to do as much as Brock, but I think he’s trending in the right direction.”
Both quarterbacks sounded confident Thursday about being ready to play but stopped short of indicating a starter.
“I just feel better overall just with my body and, and mentally of attacking this game plan and, and, and being ready if I’m able to go,” Purdy said.
Asked if he expected to be available as either the starter or backup, Jones said yes.
“I feel comfortable doing both,” Jones said. “I’ll be ready to play.”
Regarding sign-stealing, Saleh made it clear the Jaguars aren’t to the level of the Houston Astros’ trash cans or Michigan’s sign-stealing in college football or Bill Belichick and “Spygate.”
Yet that didn’t stop him from making an unprompted accusation of sorts about Jacksonville’s ability to pilfer information on occasion.
“They’ve got legally, a really advanced signal-stealing type system where they always find a way to put themselves in an advantageous situation,” Saleh said Thursday. “They do a great job with it. They formation you to just try to find any nugget they can.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday Saleh was actually complimenting Jacksonville for their scouting.
Saleh went on to say people in the Sean McVay coaching tree — which includes Jacksonville’s Liam Coen and Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell — were responsible.
“All those guys, they all do it,” Saleh said.
Saleh essentially planted the idea with the Jaguars that the 49ers will be on the lookout — and probably have some new signs — as well as the Rams, who are next on the schedule Thursday night at SoFi Stadium.
Coen, when he spoke to the Jacksonville media Friday, deflected sign-stealing questions without denying it.
“I’m not going to speak on that fully right now,” Coen said. “We have a huge game for us coming up this weekend. We’ve got a great defense that we’ve got to go and attack and that’s where our whole mindset and mentality is right now.”
Coincidentally (or not) Saleh was an offseason candidate for the Jacksonville head coaching job that went to Coen.
Trent Williams (71) works with Spencer Burford during a 49ers training camp practice. Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group
Two-way 49ers?
Is there anyone on the 49ers that could be a two-way player the way Travis Hunter is attempting with the Jaguars?
Pearsall nominated fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
“I feel like Juice might be up there,” Pearsall said. “I feel like he could play linebacker. I think Fred (Warner) is up there, he could play a little bit of tight end. B.A. (Brandon Aiyuk) he could probably play a little bit of defensive back too. He’s really long. And he definitely things he can play D.B.”
Running back Christian McCaffrey saluted Hunter and said he played safety in high school, where his position coach was former NFL safety Brian Dawkins. He liked Trent Williams’ chances of being a defensive lineman.
“I concur,” Williams said. “I could do a little three technique.”
Mac and Trevor
Jones started seven games for Jacksonville last season after Trevor Lawrence went on injured reserve following a concussion.
Asked how Lawrence has handled the criticism that comes with being a No. 1 overall pick who hasn’t met the lofty pre-draft expectations, Jones said, “Let me call and ask him real quick.”
More seriously, Jones said he and Lawrence have a great relationship.
“Trevor’s always been the guy that everybody’s chasing from my age group,” Jones said. “He’s younger than me by a year, but he was always the top guy and he’s a great athlete, great quarterback, great thrower and everywher ehe has gone he rose to the challenge. Being in the room with him last year, we became really became close friends, to be honest.”
Wilks on CMC
Steve Wilks, the embattled 49ers defensive coordinator who lasted just one season in an NFC championship year, responded this way when it was relayed to him that former Carolina quarterback Baker Mayfield blamed him for being released. Wilks was an interim head coach at the time, replacing Matt Ruhle.
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Wilks is now defensive coordinator for the New York Jets.
“I don’t know how long you’ve been doing this, but I’m sure you’re quite educated on it: I don’t really think an interim coach has that much authority over personnel,” Wilks told reporters Thursday. “If that’s the case, I would have never gotten rid of our best player, Christian McCaffrey.”
The 49ers acquired McCaffrey in 2022.