The San Francisco 49ers have been without starting quarterback Brock Purdy since Week 4, when he re-aggravated a toe injury sustained in the Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
In his place, backup Mac Jones has impressed, going 5-3 as the starter, while throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Jones, who signed a two-year deal in the offseason, has been turnover-prone in the past. He threw double-digit interceptions in his first three years in the NFL with the New England Patriots before having eight in 10 games last year for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But, he’s been a pleasant surprise for the 49ers, executing their offense well in place of Brock Purdy, and had another quality game this past weekend, going 33-of-39 for 319 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in the 42-26 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan was pleased with the performance, despite the team’s disappointing result.
“It seemed like he played really well,” Shanahan said of Jones after the game. “I thought he got rid of the ball, didn’t get caught with it too much, got the ball to the right spots, and definitely gave us a chance to win.”
While he doesn’t have the rushing capability that Brock Purdy provides, Jones has been a steady presence for the 49ers at quarterback and has been lauded by his teammates for his approach and composure.
Purdy’s toe injury has been a nagging issue for the 49ers, as he has been limited in practice for the past few weeks, but has yet to suit up and play since Week 4. Earlier this month, head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged Purdy may not be 100 percent at any point this season when he eventually does return.
Purdy does have a chance to play in Week 11, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicating this weekend against the Arizona Cardinals is the expected return date for the quarterback.
“They’re hopeful that if it’s not this week, it will definitely be next week,” Fowler said about Purdy’s return over the weekend ahead of the Rams loss. “That’s at least the loose plan right now.”
With Purdy’s return on the horizon, the question becomes: Should the 49ers actually make a change at quarterback, given how Jones has played in recent weeks?
We’ve seen other teams, such as the Arizona Cardinals, elect to keep their starter (Kyler Murray) on the bench to get them fully healthy, while letting the backup (Jacoby Brissett) continue to roll. But, the 49ers have been steadfast that Purdy is their starter when healthy, which makes sense given the contract he was given this offseason.
With the debate sparked, Tom Brady gave his two cents, believing the 49ers should ride the hot hand with Jones.
“Listen, you’ve got to go with the hot hand. Yes, you stay with him,” Brady said about Jones.
“I’ve got to believe that’s why I’m still sitting here today because [the Patriots] went with the hot hand about 25 years ago. What do you guys expect me to say?”
With Purdy receiving the contract that he did, it’s clear he’s the starter. But, the 49ers have already gone along the path of ensuring he’s as close to fully healthy as possible, and that should remain their trajectory with Jones playing as he is.
There isn’t a reason to play Purdy unless he’s capable of being the type of quarterback that the 49ers expect out of him, which includes the scrambling ability and option of extending plays.
If he’s up to that level this weekend, then the 49ers can evaluate the quarterback change. But, until then, it doesn’t make sense to move away from Jones, who has played at a good level so far this season.
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