49ers’ Purdy Remains Out; Jones Prepares for Buccaneers Matchup

The San Francisco 49ers are still uncertain about the return of quarterback Brock Purdy, who is sidelined by a toe injury that has already caused him to miss three games this season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed on Wednesday that the team has not considered placing Purdy on injured reserve, stating, “It hasn’t been a thought on [placing him on] IR. He’s progressing.”

Purdy did not participate in Wednesday’s practice, which raises the likelihood that Mac Jones will start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Jones has led the team to three consecutive victories in previous starts.

Despite his success, Jones is also managing injuries, including issues with his left knee and an oblique injury. He was listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. After the 49ers’ recent win over the Rams, Jones expressed his determination to play, saying, “It’s my job to be out there.”

The 49ers view Purdy’s situation as a week-to-week assessment after he aggravated his toe injury during the Week 4 loss to Jacksonville. He did not travel with the team for last week’s game, further complicating the quarterback situation.

Backup Strategy and Injury Updates

With Purdy absent from practice and Jones limited, the 49ers are turning to Adrian Martinez, who was recently promoted from the practice squad. Martinez is expected to take more snaps with the starters as the team prepares for the upcoming game. He nearly entered the game against the Rams when Jones was briefly injured, but the quarterback was able to return to the field.

Shanahan spoke about the challenges of relying on a quarterback with limited experience in the system, stating, “Obviously a guy who hasn’t been in your system very long and hasn’t gotten a lot of experience, you want to be as careful as you can. But when you’re in a 20-20 game, you’re going to do what you got to do.”

In addition to the quarterback situation, the injury report includes several key players. Receivers Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ribs, ankle) did not practice on Wednesday. Shanahan expressed hope that Pearsall would return soon but acknowledged uncertainty about his status for Sunday, saying, “We’ll see if there’s a turn here on Thursday or Friday, but I’m not counting on it right now.”

Tight end George Kittle is also making progress as he recovers from injury. Although he will not practice this week, Shanahan indicated that Kittle has “a chance” to return for the Week 7 home game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Starting left guard Ben Bartch (high ankle sprain) is unlikely to practice next week when he becomes eligible to return from injured reserve. The 49ers have opened practice windows for safety Malik Mustapha (knee) and defensive tackle Kevin Givens (pec), allowing both players the opportunity to play against the Buccaneers.

As the 49ers navigate these challenges, the team remains focused on maintaining their winning momentum while managing a roster affected by injuries. The outcome of Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers will be critical as the team looks to solidify their position in the season.