San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s availability for their next game, a huge one against the Los Angeles Rams, is now in doubt. Until today, he had been enjoying a significant bump in his recovery from turf toe. Purdy’s injury was assessed on Monday, though uncertainty remains about whether he’ll be able to play in the immensely important NFC West clash.
Purdy put on an utterly impressive performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars this past week. He finished 22 of 38 for 309 yards, including two touchdown passes and two interceptions that contributed to an abysmal quarterback rating of 52.1. He lost a fumble late in the game when he was hit by teammate Arik Armstead. This was a major blunder, exacerbating an already difficult situation.
On a key two-point conversion attempt against the Jaguars, Purdy took a deep shot. This incident raised new concerns about his turf toe injury. He did claim that his severely damaged toe didn’t bother him at all during the game. What he did say is that he wasn’t sure if the injury altered his throwing arm’s function.
I feel like I just need to get back out there and reestablish and start throwing,” Purdy said. Since I’ve been off for two weeks, I’m looking to regain my groove and see how my body is responding, in particular my toe. To be honest, I don’t have the answer to that.
Purdy had missed wins against the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals as a result of the injury. Fully ruled out just a week ago, as the last practice participant last Tuesday made a shocking return to Jacksonville on Sunday. On Monday, he was projected as a DNP, joining teammates Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings.
As the 49ers turn their attention to what should be a stiffer test from Cincinnati, the questions about Purdy’s health are only the start of the worries. The team successfully addressed the issue of injuries to their top players. They need to be if they want to keep things rolling in the cut throat NFC West.
Purdy’s worrisome lack of practice participation earlier this week only deepens the uncertainty surrounding his availability against the Rams. He was limited on both Wednesday and Thursday but showed enough progress to be listed as a full participant on Friday. This last dynamic makes things even more complicated for not just the player, but the coaching staff as well. They will have to thoroughly judge his fitness ahead of the crucial away day.
The 49ers are probably going to be a last-minute decision on Purdy’s availability. Here’s what they’re considering as they get ready for debate on Thursday night. With only a few minutes between matches it all adds to the intense drama of it all. Fans can’t wait to see how Purdy responds to treatment, how he will overcome this latest challenge by kickoff.
Leave a Reply