Brock Purdy had an incredible rookie season. After being picked last in the 2022 NFL draft, Purdy took over the starting QB spot in Week 14 when Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance were injured. Purdy finished the regular season undefeated and eventually led the 49ers to the NFC championship game. 

However, despite Purdy's spectacular rookie season, some are still not certain he should be the 49ers starter going into 2023. One person strongly behind Purdy is former Pro Bowl QB, Jeff Garcia. In a recent interview, Garcia had extremely high praise for the young QB. 

“The thing about Brock Purdy, he knew where to go with the football. He didn’t take a lot of sacks. He didn’t make a lot of mistakes. When things broke down around him, he lengthened the field with his feet,” said Garcia. “He became a threat as a runner. I’m not going to say those were certain things that reminded him of me, but there were things out there like that. Hey, he’s a smaller stature guy but that doesn’t matter. He understands the game. He understood the defensive coverages. He understood what was going on offensively and where to go with the football and that was impressive.”

There is one major issue when it comes to Purdy starting out of the gate. He suffered a torn UCL in his throwing elbow in the NFC championship game. While the updates have been positive, there is no guarantee he will be ready to go by Week one. 

Despite the injury, Garcia continued to explain his positive thoughts on Purdy. One thing that stood out to him was how he got the 49ers' elite weapons involved in the passing game. 

“You know, up until the point when Brock Purdy stepped on the field, even with Jimmy (Garpppolo) out there, why was George Kittle not being targeted,” asked Garcia. “If I had George Kittle on my team, I’m trying to get him the ball. Just like a T.O. (Terrell Owens), you’re trying to get him the ball 10 times a game because when he gets the ball in his hands great things happen. Whether it’s catching the ball in the flat, a 10-yard hook over the middle. That’s one of your most dangerous weapons on the field and you’re not utilizing him.

All of a sudden, Brock Purdy steps on the field, the ball starts getting spread around. Kittle becomes more involved. How many touchdowns did he have in the second half of the season? He would have probably been All Pro with those stats throughout the season which he’s an All-Pro caliber tight end.”

There is truth to what Garcia is saying, as Kittle began to explode when Purdy took over the QB job. In his final five regular season games, Kittle caught seven touchdowns after catching just four prior. 

If Garcia's theory is correct, starting Purdy may be the best way to maximize this team's talent on the offensive side of the ball. 

Featured Image via: © Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports