49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan indicates Brock Purdy could return by training camp
Barring any setbacks, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy may be able to return for training camp.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan gave Niners fans the best news they've heard in recent memory on Wednesday.
In a report from David Lombardi, who covers the NFL for The Athletic, Shanahan said that he expects quarterback Brock Purdy to be ready to go for training camp in the mid-to-late summer, barring any significant setback in his rehab process.
The training camp's start date will be in July. Having Purdy able to fully participate in drills and practice will improve the Niners' chances of picking up where they left off in the 2022 NFL season.
It is evident that Shanahan is more optimistic than most when analyzing the extent of Purdy's injury.
A healthy Purdy means that former starting quarterback Trey Lance will function as a backup and Sam Darnold will play behind those two.
"As long as Brock's elbow heals right, he'll be the exact same guy, and when you have a clean break like that or a tear, it will be," Shanahan said, per Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group. "You can have a setback and something can go wrong, but everything's been entirely on pace… Just watching him now, he's doing the same drills all the other quarterbacks are doing, he's just using a towel to throw. But he's still doing violent motions, he's still moving it. He's just not doing it with a football."
When it is time for Purdy to return, the Niners will be in a good place. He has already received the green light from the front office and coaching staff. And recently, Purdy received the assurance that whenever he returns he will be the de facto No. 1 quarterback.
It must be music to his ears.
"When Brock comes back and is healthy, we'll see where we're at," Shanahan said, per Inman. "We know we have a quarterback out there who's won at a high level."
Purdy may have a long way to go, but he is making better progress than most. Now it is time to see if he lives up to Shanahan's optimism.
