49ers training camp 2023: What the first 2 days have taught us
By Peter Panacy
Brock Purdy is back under center for the 49ers
Perhaps the biggest news stemming from the opening day of training camp was that second-year quarterback Brock Purdy was fully cleared to participate after suffering a torn UCL last January and undergoing offseason elbow surgery.
Granted, Purdy is on a "pitch count" and won't practice every day, and it was fellow quarterback Trey Lance who actually worked with the first-stringers on day one of camp.
But Purdy was the primary player on day two.
Except Purdy's efforts didn't exactly go well, at least according to the stats (h/t The Athletic's David Lombardi):
Brock Purdy was very rusty in his return to the practice field. Both he and Trey Lance struggled against a spirited 49ers defense today.
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) July 27, 2023
Purdy: 3-10, 1 INT
Lance: 2-5, dropped INT
Sam Darnold: 3-5
Brandon Allen: 4-5
Darnold made the nicest throw of practice to Deebo Samuel
More on the quarterbacking woes in a bit, but stats shouldn't bother Purdy whatsoever.
What matters is that he's back on the field and throwing footballs in team settings, and he returned far earlier than the original predictions of late August or even early September.