49ers training camp: Kyle Shanahan says Brock Purdy had ‘no arm troubles’ after returning from UCL surgery

The odds have significantly improved that Brock Purdy will be the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers come Week 1. Purdy has been back throwing without any restrictions for a few days, six months after tearing his UCL in the NFC Championship game.

Through a few practices, so far, so good. 

“I think he’s done great. He has come back. He’s had no arm troubles. He’s been totally healthy,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said to reporters Sunday. “I think he’s getting all his timing back, his rhythm. I was really impressed with him in his two practices.” 

Purdy has been ahead of schedule in his rehab, even throwing 11-on-11s through the heat acclimation period of camp. He’ll participate in two out of every three practices to start camp, two straight then a day off. 

The 49ers are getting the pads on for Monday’s practice. Purdy is expected to be out there.

“Brock’s just so detailed and committed in everything he does, so he didn’t miss one day,” Shanahan said. “Every rep that he takes to get better in his health, he is just deliberate in everything he does. How committed he was to doing that, to being here, to going down to Florida, to being in Arizona. 

“If he was going to have a setback and something went wrong was the only way we felt he wasn’t going to be ahead of schedule by what he does.”

Purdy is competing with Trey Lance and Sam Darnold for the starting quarterback job in San Francisco, but this is all dependant on his health. The 49ers saw what Purdy did in his five regular season starts last year, as he finished with the second-best passer rating of any quarterback through five career regular season starts since 1950 (Kurt Warner). Purdy is the only quarterback since 1950 with a win and multiple passing touchdown in each of his first five regular season starts.

The 49ers led the NFL in points per game (33.6) in Purdy’s starts, while Purdy tied for the NFL lead in touchdown passes (11) and led in yards per attempt (8.9). If Purdy is healthy, the 49ers have a much easier decision to make.