Purdy to resume throwing next week

49ers QB Brock Purdy (elbow) is expected to resume throwing sometime next week, HC Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday. Purdy continues to make steady progress in his return from UCL surgery on his throwing elbow. Barring a setback, it's looking like he'll be ready to go for training camp. GM John Lynch called Purdy "the leader in the clubhouse" for the starting job earlier this offseason. We'll see if he can hold off Trey Lance (and Sam Darnold?) this summer.

SI's Albert Breer writes that 49ers QB Brock Purdy is “throwing without pain, and he’s passed every test the Niners have thrown at him.” Breer laid out the next steps for San Francisco’s likely starter. “The plan going forward is to gradually increase the velocity and distance on his throws. But at this point, I’m told he’s come through the rehab process and is now building strength back in his arm, on a track that’d have him ready to go for Week 1.” This is one of many positive updates on Purdy’s elbow this offseason, although we're still not buying him as a priority fantasy target. San Francisco kicks off their season with a Week 1 matchup at Pittsburgh.

Niners HC Kyle Shanahan says the team expects to have QB Brock Purdy back from his right elbow injury by training camp, according to David Lombardi of The Athletic. Purdy has reportedly "been making throwing motions with a towel," though there's no word on his accuracy in hitting the hamper. He's expected to begin throwing footballs in June. We'll see whether Purdy's return to action pushes a Trey Lance trade.

49ers QB Brock Purdy ultimately avoided Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, instead undergoing a UCL report with an internal brace, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. The procedure is expected to have Purdy back on the field quicker than initially suspected, although there's still no concrete timetable for his return. "I think like a lot of those things, timelines are just guidelines," GM John Lynch said. "Every person is different. There probably is some amount of time in talking to the docs that you want to make sure you get to that point before he's out there, but our hope is he's ready to go in training camp." The 49ers have called Purdy the "leader in the clubhouse" to be the team's 2023 starter -- and being ready for training camp would give him a good chance to hold on to that title. We'll continue to track Purdy's rehab.

Niners GM John Lynch on Monday called a healthy QB Brock Purdy "the leader in the clubhouse" for the team's starting job, according to David Lombardi of The Athletic. That stops short of anointing Purdy the starter once his repaired throwing arm is ready. But it's certainly not good for Trey Lance, just two years after the franchise traded quite a bit to move up and draft him third overall. Lynch said Purdy, Lance, and Sam Darnold will compete for the job. And perhaps 49ers leadership is trying to motivate Lance, ahead of his third NFL season. Even if that's the case, though, it wouldn't be a great sign if they think the 23-year-old (this May) needs such motivation. Lance remains a high-ceiling best ball pick in case he does win the job. And we'll see about Purdy's health this summer. But there's also high risk to rostering Lance in formats where you can't replace him once the season starts. Of course, Darnold arriving to Week 1 as the starter would be bad news for everyone.

49ers QB Brock Purdy's elbow surgery was originally scheduled for February 22 but has been delayed due to swelling in the joint. “Some of the delay and the swelling and all that — it’s not like a typical baseball injury,” GM John Lynch said Tuesday at the Combine. “This was a football injury where there was a lot of force there. So, it just all had to quiet down.” Purdy is now expected to go under the knife "early next week," according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows. The 49ers are still hoping to have Purdy back on the field 6 months after surgery, but Lynch admitted that there are “a variety of time frames.” Either way, this delay makes it unlikely that Purdy is available for training camp -- and more likely that QB Trey Lance opens the 2023 season as San Francisco's starter.