Brock Purdy resumed throwing last week and is ramping up his activity.
The second-year 49ers quarterback is recovering from March 10 elbow surgery but is hoping to be game-ready for the season opener on Sept. 10. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to the media Tuesday about Purdy’s progress and all signs seem positive.
"I don’t watch him to tell you the truth,” Shanahan said. “He's right on pace. I think he throws three times a week. I do not sit and watch those. It's part of his process of getting back, and he's continuing right on the track he's always been on. No setbacks, and it's been very good so far."
As Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area noted Monday, Purdy could resume on-field activities around Aug. 21, with a 20-day runway for Week 1. Shanahan said he hasn’t forecasted that far ahead for Purdy.
"We're taking it very slowly," Shanahan said. "It's not like you just jump out and push stuff. You're only supposed to throw on this date, at this percentage, this many yards. … And if you stay on track, it should heal the right way. And right now, everything's right on track. I don’t ask three weeks ahead. Just trying to keep to stay on that trajectory."
The 49ers have no reason to rush the 23-year-old, as Trey Lance and Sam Darnold are currently sharing QB1 reps in offseason team activities. But the Niners have said that Purdy is the "leader in the clubhouse" to start once healthy, so they're hoping to recapture that late-season magic from last year.
When asked about Purdy’s mental state with the injury rehab, Shanahan said it’s just business as usual with Brock.
"I know we want updates," Shanahan said. "I totally get it, but there are none. So I can make something up, but there are none. It's just the next day of working out and rehabbing. I don't get too involved in that. I see him in the meetings, talk to him about football and stuff like that. Things will happen when he's healthy, and we're just waiting for him to get healthy."
