The San Francisco 49ers are getting things going at training camp right now. Quarterback Brock Purdy is looking to have another solid season, but he needs to clean one aspect of his game up if he wants to take that next step and become one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL.
One stat truly shows how Purdy can shoot himself in the foot on first down. He has a 3.8-percent interception rate on first down, which is the fifth-highest rate in the NFL since 2000, per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press.
That means Purdy can take unnecessary risks on first down too often, which gets him into trouble. We know he can be a gunslinger and is not afraid to make risky throws, but turning the ball over on first down can hurt the offense's momentum.
Brock Purdy has an issue with turnovers on 1st downs
Obviously, one never wants to turn the ball over, but Purdy taking shots in first-down situations is just not always needed. Maybe on third down, it’s OK to make a bit of a riskier throw because you know it will probably be your last shot to get the first down. But when it’s 1st-and-10, it’s not always the worst idea to throw the ball away if a play isn't there.
That almost seems to go against Purdy’s nature, though.
Purdy likes to scramble, and as many know, he is not afraid to extend a play with his legs or make a wild throw back across his body. It’s scary, and when it works, he looks brilliant. But when it doesn’t, everyone is left scratching their heads.
He just has to learn to be a bit more cautious, especially in certain situations. Last season, Purdy threw three picks on Monday Night Football against the Carolina Panthers. Situationally, he just has to make better decisions with the ball or learn to put it where only his guy can get it.
That’s obviously a lot easier said than done, but Purdy’s interception rate is the one glaring thing that he needs to improve. He’s pretty elite in every other category, but if the signal-caller can just cut down on the turnovers, that'll be the next step in his progression.
He likes making big plays and going for it all, but it Purdy can learn to dial it back a bit, especially on first down, then he and the 49ers will be in a much better place this upcoming season.
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