San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks Brock Purdy (13) and Mac Jones (10) | Steph Chambers/GettyImages
The San Francisco 49ers remain without quarterback Brock Purdy, who continues to recover from a lingering toe injury that has sidelined him for three of the team’s first five games. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Wednesday that while Purdy is “progressing,” the team has not considered placing him on injured reserve.
“It hasn’t been a thought on [placing him on] IR,” Shanahan said. “He’s progressing.”
Purdy aggravated the injury he sustained in Week 1 during the Week 4 loss to Jacksonville and did not travel with the team to Los Angeles for last week’s game against the Rams.
Mac Jones Expected to Start Again
With Purdy still out, Mac Jones appears poised to make his fourth consecutive start when the 49ers visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Jones, who is also dealing with a left knee and oblique injury, was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice.
Despite the injuries, Jones has performed well, leading San Francisco to three straight wins as the starter. He is one of just two quarterbacks in franchise history to win his first three starts while throwing for at least 900 yards and six touchdowns.
Jones briefly left last week’s game after taking a hit late in the contest but returned the next possession. Backup Adrian Martinez, promoted from the practice squad, will continue taking increased reps with the starters this week in case Jones cannot finish Sunday’s game.
Key Offensive Players Still Missing Practice
The 49ers’ receiving corps remains banged up. Rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall (knee) and veteran Jauan Jennings (ribs, ankle) both missed Wednesday’s practice. Shanahan said the team had hoped Pearsall would return by now but tempered expectations for his availability.
We’ll see if there’s a turn here on Thursday or Friday, but I’m not counting on it right now,” Shanahan said.
Tight end George Kittle (hamstring), who is eligible to return from injured reserve, will not practice this week but has “a chance” to rejoin the lineup in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons.
Updates From the Injury Report
San Francisco opened the practice windows for safety Malik Mustapha (knee) and defensive tackle Kevin Givens (pectoral), giving both players a chance to rejoin the active roster in time for Sunday’s matchup. Meanwhile, left guard Ben Bartch (high ankle sprain) is unlikely to return next week, despite being eligible to come off IR.
The 49ers also rested Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams during Wednesday’s session, while several defensive players, including Robert Beal (ankle) and Yetur Gross-Matos (knee, hamstring), continued to recover from injuries.
Looking Ahead
With Purdy’s recovery still uncertain, the 49ers are treating his return as a week-to-week matter. For now, the offense remains in Jones’ hands as San Francisco seeks to stay atop the NFC West while navigating a growing list of injuries.
More must-reads:
Mark Sanchez Charged with Felony After Indianapolis Parking Lot Altercation
Cardinals Fine Gannon $100K for Sideline Clash with Demercado
