Brock Purdy entered training camp riding high. After all, it’s hard not to feel good when you’ve just landed a $265 million contract extension and bought a house next door to George Kittle in Nashville. But even with a franchise-level payday and a friendly face next door, Purdy kept his focus locked on football. “Honestly, just continue to work on my mobility and stuff,” he said at training camp when asked what’s been his priority heading into Year 4 of his career as the Niners‘ franchise cornerstone.
Now, that statement may sound simple, but there’s more to it. In fact, Purdy explained that while he doesn’t see being “somewhat more of a stiff quarterback,” as a red flag, he’s still pushing for growth. “That’s not a bad thing, but something I always try and work on is my arm and mobility with that and keeping it stretched out and stuff,” he added.
That said, for a guy who already scrambled for 323 yards and five rushing touchdowns on just 66 carries last season, Purdy clearly isn’t settling. Moreover, he’s aiming for sharper throws from every angle—inside and outside the pocket. “Just making sure I’m stretching and not be loose or anything but a guy who can make certain arm angle throws and stuff like that.” But just as Purdy was grinding away in the background, his head coach made a move that turned some heads.
Recently, Kyle Shanahan addressed wideout Ricky Pearsall’s return from a hamstring issue, noting the WR was nearly back to full speed. “I mean, when you hit your GPS speed, your max speed that you had before you were hurt, we can run all those routes,” Shanahan said. “That’s usually your protocol to go back… His conditioning is good. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t out there Sunday.” Still, with Pearsall’s snaps limited for now, the Niners went shopping.
Kyle Shanahan says Ricky Pearsall hit max speed on GPS and is taking the first few days of camp to condition, adding he would be surprised if Ricky Pearsall isn’t out at practice on Sunday
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To balance things out, the Faithful just saw a new face added to the huddle—veteran wideout Equanimeous St. Brown. The 6-foot-5 receiver inked a one-year deal with the Red and Gold after six NFL seasons split across Green Bay, Chicago, and most recently, New Orleans. With 63 catches, 928 yards, and two touchdowns in 62 games, he’s the tall target Purdy needs.
To add to that, St. Brown has some playoff experience under his belt too, notching two grabs for 37 yards in three postseason games. He was briefly with the Saints last year but only appeared in two games. So while this signing might’ve caught Purdy by surprise, it also signals a fresh window opening in The Bay. And Shanahan believes his QB can take full charge of this new-look WR room—and lead the Niners right back into Super Bowl contention.
Shanahan puts the 49ers’ Super Bowl hopes in Brock Purdy’s hands
Kyle Shanahan has made it clear—the 49ers’ future runs through Brock Purdy. After San Francisco handed their QB a massive five-year extension this offseason, there’s no more guessing who’s leading The Bay into the next era. This move didn’t just lock in a franchise quarterback; it tied Shanahan’s job security and the Niners’ playoff future directly to Purdy’s success.
Now, heading into 2025, Shanahan isn’t downplaying the stakes. In a recent presser, he sounded as locked in on Purdy’s trajectory as ever. “I think Brock’s played at a very high level since he’s been here, since his first game in to his last game,” Shanahan said. “I think Brock’s played at an extremely high level and that’s why he’s earned that contract.” But even with that high praise, Shanahan added a crucial point: “You get better or worse, you don’t stay the same.”
So far, Shanahan sees no signs of plateauing. He’s all-in on Purdy’s growth and mentality. “So like, Brock has had a hell of a short career so far, he had a hell of an offseason,” Shanahan continued. “When you have a guy who is to me real in those ways, it hasn’t been fake… he will keep getting better and that’s what we saw throughout OTAs.” The message is clear—the Faithful might not always have a loaded roster, so Purdy has to be the one lifting the load.
Last season did come with a reality check, though. Purdy hit his roughest patch when injuries piled up—especially with Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk banged up. Still, Shanahan isn’t sweating it. Because if Purdy’s development continues its upward trend, Shanahan’s 49ers only need to limit their injury concerns to be in a prime position to challenge for championships.
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