Brock Purdy a 49ers gem, or fools gold? Experts weigh in

Brock Purdy, the 49ers’ third-string quarterback, is now responsible for helping get his team to the playoffs. What are the experts saying about him?

The San Francisco 49ers are hoping the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Mr. Irrelevant himself, winds up hoisting a Lombardi Trophy when the season and postseason come to a close.

That’s a tall order for the Niners’ third-string quarterback, Brock Purdy, who has suddenly found himself tasked with filling the void after season-ending injuries to fellow QBs Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.

Although there are reports stating Garoppolo could be back in the middle of the playoffs.

Regardless, San Francisco has to make its way into the postseason for Garoppolo to have that chance of returning. While the 8-4 49ers boast an elite-level defense, and they also have a star-studded cast of offensive playmakers, the burden on Purdy’s shoulders will be a significant one.

Purdy accounted for himself well enough after Garoppolo suffered his injury at the hands of the Miami Dolphins in Week 13. The rookie completed 25 of 37 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns against one interception. By most common observations, the moment wasn’t too big for him.

So, that’ll inevitably prompt the question: Did the Niners discover the next “hidden gem” out of the draft?

Or are they going to wrongfully hype up a player who was the final draftee in 2022 for a reason?

Experts, scouts and coaches weigh in on Brock Purdy

Our friend and former FanSided colleague, Matt Lombardo, who is now over at Heavy.com, spoke with a number of scouts and coaches about what San Francisco was getting into by having to start Purdy from this point forward.

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger arguably offered up the most optimistic insight, saying:

"Nothing changed about the offense on Sunday against Miami. Brock had no fear of throwing the ball into the middle of the field.It seemed they really emphasized running the ball, which they need to do. It’s not an easy offense to operate; it has lots of movement, lots of motion, and they space the field really well. The biggest thing for Brock is to not try to do too much."

According to Baldinger, it seems as if the 49ers won’t have to tailor their offense to suit Purdy’s skill set and/or limitations much at all.

Provided Purdy isn’t asked to shoulder the load, of course.

However, another AFC scout told Lombardo something entirely different, suggesting head coach Kyle Shanahan would have to make some serious tweaks to the offense:

"That offense has to change. Just because of the unknown at quarterback, it remains to what extent they actually make adjustments, though. It may mean they’ll use more gadget plays with McCaffrey and Deebo running the ball more. Or, they’ll implement a more controlled passing game."

Related Story: Deep dive into 49ers’ final pick of the 2022 draft, Brock Purdy

What was notably apparent last Sunday against the Dolphins was Purdy’s lack of arm strength, far from that of Garoppolo, and even Jimmy G isn’t known for having a cannon of an arm.

Yet Shanahan and the Niners have gotten by with short games before, and that might be how things work for Purdy going forward.

One key difference, however, is Purdy knows he’s “the guy” to start games rather than being thrown in without any notice, and that’s something an NFC quarterbacks coach told Lombardo in that same article:

"I’ve always believed it’s easier to just come off the bench when you don’t know when you are going to play, than having a full week to think about it mentally and get nervous about the opportunity."

Purdy will be making his first-ever NFL start against none other than quarterback Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so there shouldn’t be any pressure whatsoever. In a way, that might actually be refreshing for Purdy, getting to measure himself up against the greatest signal-caller of all time.

It’ll be a stout Bucs defense Purdy should worry about, however.

Overall, the expert analysis and takes will shift in one direction or another based on what Purdy does in Week 14.

It’s likely San Francisco’s playoff hopes shift in that same direction, too.