SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) 鈥 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is a 鈥渓ong shot鈥 to play on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints and could miss multiple weeks because of a toe injury.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that Purdy was unable to practice and could miss some time after getting hurt in a at Seattle. Mac Jones would start for the 49ers on Sunday at New Orleans if Purdy can’t play.
Purdy played through the injuries to his toe and left shoulder, leading a game-winning touchdown drive capped by a 4-yard pass to Jake Tonges. Purdy went 26 for 35 for 277 yards with two TDs and two interceptions against Seattle.
Purdy missed two games last season with injuries, sitting out one game with a right shoulder injury and another with a right elbow injury. Those are the only games he has missed because of injuries since taking over as starter late in the 2022 season. He did have a significant injury to his right elbow in the 2022 NFC title game that required surgery but he made it back for the opener the following season.
Jones, the former first-round pick by New England in 2021, signed with San Francisco as a free agent in March.
鈥淢ac knows how to play the position,鈥 Shanahan said. 鈥淗e can play well in the pocket, distributes the ball well, sees coverages well, can play fast in there. He鈥檚 got a lot of good film from the NFL with his experience and obviously college. Tough guy who鈥檒l hang in there and deliver the ball where it needs to go.鈥
Jones and San Francisco were closely linked leading up to the 2021 draft after the Niners traded three first-round picks to get the No. 3 overall selection. Shanahan was looking to draft a franchise quarterback and was debating between Jones and Trey Lance before San Francisco finally opted for Lance.
The move backfired as Lance struggled to stay healthy and adjust to Shanahan鈥檚 system. He made only four starts in two seasons before being traded to Dallas for a fourth-round pick in August 2023, having lost the starting job to Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 draft.
Jones had a fast start to his career, helping New England make the playoffs in his rookie season. But Jones regressed the next year after offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left for Las Vegas, and he was replaced as the starter in 2023.
Jones was traded to Jacksonville last March and started seven games for the Jaguars, throwing eight TD passes and eight interceptions. Jones has made 49 career starts, posting an 84.9 passer rating with 54 TD passes, 44 interceptions and averaging 6.7 yards per attempt.
鈥淚 like Mac a lot,鈥 defensive end Nick Bosa said. “Great dude getting to know him this camp. I think he鈥檚 really popped up on tape throughout camp. If Mac does start, I think it鈥檚 a little more advantageous for him being early in the year since he鈥檚 gotten some real reps recently and he鈥檚 not like 10 weeks into the season, taking only scout team and getting pinballed around by the D-line in scout team. I think that鈥檚 a bright side.鈥
The 49ers also are without star tight end George Kittle, who went on injured reserve earlier this week with a hamstring injury that will sideline him for at least four games.
Receiver Jauan Jennings didn’t practice Wednesday after leaving the opener with an injury but has a possibility to play this week.
NOTES: LT Trent Williams (knee, rest), RB Christian McCaffrey (calf, rest), DL Yetur Gross-Matos (knee) and DE Nick Bosa (rest) also didn’t practice. ... LG Ben Bartch (knee, elbow), WR Jordan Watkins (ankle) and RB Jordan James (finger) were limited. ... The Niners officially announced a deal to sign K Eddy Pineiro to a one-year contract to replace Jake Moody, who was cut after missing two kicks in the opener. ... TE Messiah Swinson was signed to the practice squad.
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