Brock Purdy draws rave reviews as San Francisco 49ers QB resumes throwing

After Brock Purdy suffered a torn UCL in his throwing elbow during the NFC Championship Game, the San Francisco 49ers went into the offseason with a lot of uncertainty at the quarterback position.

Purdy, who earned the title of Mr. Irrelevant for being the final pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, made a strong case to secure the long-term starting role by leading eight consecutive victories, including postseason play.

Yet, Purdy’s offseason elbow surgery left the 23-year-old QB without an exact timetable to return early on. We saw the 49ers respond by adding former No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold in free agency, adding to Trey Lance, the third pick from the 2021 draft, who’s recovering from ankle injuries of his own.

Now, months after Purdy’s surgery, following several tireless days of rehabilitation, the 49ers QB has resumed throwing. His first chance to sling the pigskin came during organized team activities on Tuesday when Purdy left a strong impression on his coaches and teammates.

According to general manager John Lynch, “the early returns are really good” on Purdy’s elbow. That showed when he got a chance to throw.

“He’s had one (throwing) session thus far and we’re incredibly encouraged by that. He’s hitting all his marks and that doesn’t surprise us, because he’s putting in all the work. The hope is he’s ready for training camp. The hope is he’s ready for the regular season”
San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch on Brock Purdy’s progress

Meanwhile, Lynch went on to state Lance had a “really quality offseason” while noting Darnold has “taken to the coaching and structure we can give to him.” By all appearances, the 49ers will avoid the same nightmare scenario last season, having a playoff roster but no QB healthy enough to lead the team down the field when it mattered most.

With Purdy returning to form, Lance continuing to improve, and Darnold lurking in the shadows with a chip on his shoulder, the 49ers should have plenty of capable options under center this upcoming season.