Brock Purdy's offseason plans should give the 49ers extra hope of bouncing back from Super Bowl heartbreak
Brock Purdy will have the benefit of a full offseason after spending much of his preparations for the 2023 campaign rehabbing after elbow surgery, and the San Francisco 49ers quarterback has identified two key areas where he would like to improve. Speaking as the 49ers departed for the offseason this week, Purdy told reporters: "For […]
Brock Purdy will have the benefit of a full offseason after spending much of his preparations for the 2023 campaign rehabbing after elbow surgery, and the San Francisco 49ers quarterback has identified two key areas where he would like to improve.
Speaking as the 49ers departed for the offseason this week, Purdy told reporters: "For me to be able to take a step away for a little bit and then just work on my mobility [and] obviously continue with my arm strength and all of that, will be huge for me.
"I’m excited to get better, to truly get better at my craft."
Purdy's words are ominous ones for opposing defenses, given the areas in which he is targeting strides aren't ones in which he struggled in 2023.
Though he did have negative Expected Points Added for the season when throwing with his feet moving, Purdy had a positive play rate of 52.5% in those situations, second among quarterbacks with at least 50 such throws behind Dak Prescott.
On top of that, Purdy shone as a scrambler in the NFC Championship Game, his running ability keying the 49ers' comeback from a 17-point deficit against the Detroit Lions, while he showed the ability to evade free rushers off the edge on critical plays in San Francisco's Super Bowl 58 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Though Purdy does not have the biggest arm, he still led the NFL in both EPA and positive play rate (64.8%) on throws past the sticks (min. 50 attempts), per Sports Info Solutions.
On throws of at least 20 air yards, Purdy was first (min. 25 attempts) in completion percentage (60.5) and on-target rate (68.6%). He was nearly five percentage points better than nearest challenger Dak Prescott (63.8) in the latter category.
Third in EPA and first in positive play rate (60.5%) on such throws, Purdy's arm strength was not a barrier to downfield success in his first full season as a starter, one in which he consistently demonstrated impressive mobility.
That he sees room to grow in those areas should serve as a clear warning to opposing defenses, and provide the 49ers with plenty of additional hope as they look to shake off their Super Bowl heartbreak and prepare for another run in 2024.
Brock Purdy put narrative to bed with his Super Bowl performance
A valiant effort in defeat.
