Brock Purdy limited in practice as 49ers assess health going into Green Bay game
SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy was officially limited in practice Wednesday due to shoulder soreness.
While it’s a good sign for the 49ers as they prepare for their Week 12 road game against the Green Bay Packers, Purdy, while in view for 25 minutes during the media window never threw the ball.
Instead, Purdy worked on his footwork and handed the ball to running backs while backups Brandon Allen, Joshua Dobbs and practice squad quarterback Tanner Mordecai made all the throws during a cold and blustery practice.
Asked his level of concern for Purdy before practice began, coach Kyle Shanahan said, “Not much now. We’ll see how this week goes. But he is limited today, so that’s good news.”
Not practicing were defensive end Nick Bosa (oblique), left tackle Trent Williams (ankle/rest), running back Christian McCaffrey (rest) and linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee).
Shanahan said in the cases of Bosa and Williams, the players will be given all the way to kickoff to determine if they’re good to go.
Those who were limited aside from Purdy were tight end George Kittle (hamstring), cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal), wide receiver Jacob Cowing (concussion) and offensive lineman Jon Feliciano (knee).
Purdy, whose throwing shoulder issue was first reported Monday, has been durable since becoming the starter since his first start on Dec. 11, 2022 against Tampa Bay. The 49ers won 35-7, with Purdy taking a blow which cracked a rib. It wasn’t until game time four days later against Seattle on a Thursday night when it was determined he would play.
Purdy finished the season before injuring his throwing elbow in the NFC Championship game in the first quarter while being sacked by Haason Reddick of Philadelphia in a 31-7 loss.
Last season, Purdy showed up on the injury report with concussion symptoms after a 22-17 loss to Minnesota. He didn’t practice Wednesday of the week leading into a home game against Cincinnati, was limited Thursday and cleared Friday to play. The 49ers lost 31-17.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur, whose team fell victim to Purdy’s second-half heroics last season in a 24-21 divisional-round win by the 49ers, isn’t expecting to see Brandon Allen under center Sunday.
“I would fully expect him to play,” LaFleur told reporters. “I think he’s a darn good quarterback. You don’t put up the kind of numbers he’s put up offensively without a quarterback that can do it. One thing that makes him so special after studying the last couple of years is he has a great feel for the pocket, when to get out and when to hang in there. He’s a decisive quarterback and he’s got some good weapons.”
WHAT ABOUT BOSA?
Bosa seemed more optimistic about the possibility of facing the Packers than he did following the loss to Seattle. Shanahan held to the notion that Bosa is just as likely to play as he’s likely not to play.
In other words, a toss-up.
“It gets better every day,” Bosa said. “We’ll see. It’s definitely a little early to call it either way. We’ll find out in a few days.”
Bosa said the left side is causing more pain than the right side and that the injury was different than the core muscle issue which wiped out a season at Ohio State and required surgery.
“It’s completely different,” Bosa said. “It’s more upper body. It’s not the core, which is a good thing.”
KITTLE ADAMANT HE WILL PLAY
After missing the Seattle game with a hamstring strain, Kittle was leaving no wiggle room for his availability against the Packers.
“I will be playing Sunday,” Kittle said. “I’m very excited. Can’t pass up playing the Packers.”
With Kittle out and Eric Saubert taking his place despite reporting to work, Purdy had little to work with at tight end. Saubert was targeted just once and caught a pass for seven yards. Kittle has 43 receptions for 560 yards and seven touchdowns. The 49ers have won just three of the last 14 games they’ve played when Kittle is not in the lineup. That includes a 27-24 Week 4 loss to the Rams this season, which Kittle missed because of an unrelated hamstring strain.
Last Friday, Kittle thought he’d be playing, but he didn’t feel as good Saturday or Sunday.
“The last time I did a hammy was in my rookie season,” Kittle said. “They’re really finicky and it’s one of those things that you can be running a random route and then you pull it more and it’s four to six weeks and I’m probably on season-ending I.R.
“It’s something I wanted to have full confidence in and I did not have full confidence in it so it was a pretty easy decision for us.”
DEEBO’S FRUSTRATION
After coming off a game in which he had four receptions for 22 yards and one carry for a loss of a yard against Seattle, Deebo Samuel talked about the 49ers’ and their .500 record.
“I want to be my best self as much as possible,” Samuel said on his ‘Cleats and Convos’ show. “We put our backs against the wall at times. You just look, from top to bottom, one of the best rosters in the league and it gets frustrating because we know what we’re capable of. We’ve got to finish games. We’ve go to be the Niners that everybody knows we are.”
Regarding the Packers game, Samuel said, “It’s really like, if we don’t win this game, we’ll be in some trouble.”
STALEY MISSES CUT
Joe Staley, a six-time Pro Bowler who played 13 seasons for the 49ers from 2007 through 2019, did not make the cut from 50 to 25 names for modern-era players eligible to be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Staley was a member of the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2010s.
Players who spent time with the 49ers who moved on in the process were wide receiver Anquan Boldin and running back Ricky Watters. Boldin, who also played with Arizona, Baltimore and Detroit, caught 237 passes for 3,030 yards, a 12.8 average and 16 touchdowns from 2013-15.
Watters, who played on the 49ers from 1992 through 1994, left for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency after being a key member of the last Super Bowl winner for the franchise following the 1994 season.
After missing his rookie season due to injury, Watters, rushed for 2,840 yards on 653 carries and 25 touchdowns. He also caught 140 passes for 1,450 yards and eight scores.
NOTABLE
— Ward will continue to be evaluated before going back in the lineup at cornerback after rejoining the team following the death of his 23-month-old daughter.
“I’m going to take it slow, see how he is out there today and watch him throughout the week and communicate with him throughout the week and make a decision as we get closer to game time,” Shanahan said.
— Shanahan said there has been no talk of moving linebacker Dee Winters in front of De’Vondre Campbell. According to Shanahan, Campbell’s last three games have been his best.
— The 49ers opened this week as 2-point underdogs according to BetMGM, the first time this season they haven’t been favored, including a 28-18 loss to Kansas City in Week 7.
— Cowing fielded a few punts early in practice while wearing a helmet before adjourning to the weight area while in concussion protocol.
–Defensive lineman Jonathan Garvin was signed to the practice squad. Garvin was signed to the practice squad on Oct. 2 and remained there until being released Oct. 24.