The meteoric rise to fame of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has happened so swiftly that a number of TV analysts continue to doubt the legitimacy of the former Iowa State standout. Because of how unusual Purdy’s story is, one would assume that everyone would be rooting for him. The team with the final draft pick entered the season in the second half and didn’t lose until the NFC Championship, an event beyond his control.
Brock did not have an offseason in 2023, but he did improve in every significant metric. He saw a two percent increase in completion percentage. To be fair to the tools available to Purdy, a quarterback’s accuracy cannot be best determined by completion percentage. Purdy’s on-target percentage increased to 75.1 percent in 2023 from 72.2 percent, according to Sports Info Solutions. air yardage %, average throw depth, first-down rushing attempts, sack percentage, yards per game, and attempt. The list is endless. Therefore, it shouldn’t be shocking that Purdy was ranked among the best 25 players under 25 by PFF prior to the 2024 regular season.
This year Purdy should see an increase in blitzes. A defensive coordinator would think that’s the simplest approach to guarantee a 1-on-1 with the offensive line and quicken Purdy’s pace. Teams who outperformed the 49ers in their previous campaign blitzed Brock as little as 45 percent of the time and as much as 70 percent of the time. Because the Niners’ skill players are elusive pass catchers, bringing an additional defender puts you in danger of losing a touchdown if you miss a tackle. The 49ers will overcome their adversity in this season if Purdy keeps getting better in Year 3.
Major trade speculations involving the San Francisco 49ers have been circulating during the entire NFL offseason. The most of them have to do with Brandon Aiyuk, the talented wide receiver. The 49ers and Aiyuk have been attempting to negotiate a new long-term deal, as many of you are already aware. Thus far, those discussions have not gone well. The two sides seem to be at a distance from one another at the moment, which has sparked rumors regarding a possible deal.
