A day after the San Francisco 49ers’ season came to an end with a 31-7 blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the team got some more bad news.
Quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a complete tear of the UCL in his throwing elbow — an injury he played through in the second half — according to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The team is hopeful it will require a repair, not a reconstruction (otherwise known as Tommy John surgery).
Based on the more optimistic of the two timelines, he will be out for about six months but should return in time for training camp.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy suffered a complete tear of the UCL in his throwing elbow and will undergo surgery, per sources.
Purdy is getting second opinions, but the initial hope is he can undergo a repair — not reconstruction (AKA Tommy John) — and will be ready for training camp. pic.twitter.com/dFGQGpPALw
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 30, 2023
It was a fitting conclusion to a nightmare season for San Francisco at the position when it comes to injuries. Trey Lance, the third-overall pick in 2021, suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2. Jimmy Garoppolo, who started 10 games in his stead, was lost to a broken foot in December.
That led to the elevation of Purdy, a rookie who was taken with the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
Injury problems at quarterback are nothing new for this franchise during the Kyle Shanahan era, and an end to those woes may not be in sight. The team has a decision to make regarding Garoppolo, who is a pending free agent. If they choose to let him walk, which seems likely, they could be banking on Lance or Purdy to be healthy enough for the start of the season.
Lance has appeared in just eight games (four starts) since he was drafted, and while there have been promising signs in that small sample size, he struggled to begin the season before suffering the injury. Purdy impressed to close out the year, but his near future is murky, and he may not be the long-term answer.
There could be potential free-agent options this offseason, including Derek Carr and, of course, bay area native Tom Brady. But barring a move like that, this could be a team entering 2023 with quite a bit of uncertainty at the most important position.
It’s hard to maintain a roster this talented for long. The championship window could be closing soon, and this team is still looking for a consistent answer at signal-caller.
Shanahan has proven he can win with backup quarterbacks, but that may get put to the test once again next fall.
