Eric Williams
NFL reporter
After a tumultuous first half of the season and a disappointing 4-4 document, the San Francisco 49ers nonetheless discover themselves atop the NFC West. And because the 49ers head into their Week 9 bye, issues could lastly be wanting up for quarterback Brock Purdy & Co.
Yes, prime receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who signed a profitable multi-year contract simply earlier than the season, can be out for the remainder of the yr with torn knee ligaments. But the 49ers have reinforcements in place with first-round choice Ricky Pearsall and fourth-round choice Jacob Cowing. Pearsall not too long ago made his skilled debut after recovering from a gunshot wound suffered throughout an tried theft in August.
The league’s prime third receiver, Jauan Jennings, is predicted to return subsequent week from a hip harm, together with kicker Jake Moody (excessive ankle sprain) shortly after. And defensively, the 49ers hope to get key gamers like linebacker Dre Greenlaw and security Talanoa Hufanga again from harm later this season.
The greatest information for San Francisco is that Christian McCaffrey, the engine of the group’s offense, hopes to return for the group’s Week 10 sport on the street towards Tampa Bay. McCaffrey has been out all season recovering from Achilles tendonitis.
That means Purdy can cease making an attempt to hold the offense and return to being the environment friendly playmaker and decision-maker that he was an MVP candidate the final two seasons.
Over the final 4 video games, Purdy has been up and down statistically. He accomplished 60 % of his passes for 971 yards, with 5 touchdowns and 5 interceptions for a passer score of 82.3. In these video games the 49ers completed 2-2, shedding to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Arizona Cardinals.
“From my mindset, I’ve to get again to fundamentals,” Purdy instructed reporters after San Francisco’s win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. “Keep issues easy in my thoughts. Still enjoying with perception however being aggressive. And simply trusting in my guys.”
While Purdy has struggled at occasions, simply have a look at his numbers within the last eight video games of final season for causes for optimism. He accomplished 70.5 % of his passes for two,247 yards, with 19 touchdowns and 6 interceptions for a league-leading 120.8 passer score. San Francisco completed the season 7-2, incomes the No. 1 seed within the postseason.
Over the previous two seasons, San Francisco posted a 16-2 document from Week 9 to the top of the common season. These sturdy outcomes led to the NFC title and Super Bowl look. Five of San Francisco’s 9 video games this season are on the street and 6 are towards groups that made the playoffs final yr.
Before Tuesday’s commerce deadline, the 49ers might look so as to add one other piece or two. Players just like the Cleveland Browns’ Za’darius Smith or New England Patriots defensive finish Davon Godchaux might bolster a unit that hasn’t lived as much as excessive expectations underneath new coordinator Nick Sorenson.
As for exchanges, there have been some recently reported that the Niners may transfer on from Purdy somewhat than signal him to a $50- to $60-million-a-year contract.
Has Brock Purdy earned a contract extension?
The 49ers are saddled with an ageing roster of bloated contracts, and Purdy enters the ultimate yr of his low cost rookie deal after this season. So as an alternative of paying Purdy’s top-10 quarterback cash, the group might flip him for picks, buying draft compensation to rebuild him with one other cheap quarterback. In essence, the 49ers might repeat the venture they did with Purdy on the helm.
However, it’s more likely that the group will signal him to a brand new contract after the season.
Purdy is San Francisco’s quarterback of the current and future. And coach Kyle Shanahan is betting on one other sturdy end from this yr’s group to make yet one more push on the Super Bowl.
“I really feel like we’re able to doing all the things else we got down to do,” Shanahan instructed reporters. “I have a look at the place our group is and the place I feel it may be, and I do not suppose we’re there but.
“I feel there’s a whole lot of issues we have to enhance on. I feel we’re doing it steadily. But I feel now we have the blokes right here able to doing it. We simply want to verify we turn into a greater group within the second half than we have been within the first time.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN e Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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