Brock Purdy breaks down new challenges facing the 49ers entering Year 3

The 2024 offseason has marked new beginnings for Brock Purdy and his NFL journey.

For the first time in his professional career, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback enters an offseason unscathed. That means no rookie learning curve, and no road to recovery. For the first time in three years, Brock Purdy enters the summer able to build on the progress from the prior season.

On top of that, the Arizona native is now firmly established as the 49ers’ franchise quarterback. And that means being a veteran in the locker room, something that’s quite new for the 24-year-old.

“Yeah man, I’m a vet,” Brock Purdy said with a chuckle this week. “No, I don’t know. I’m still just trying to get better every day, and I still understand that there’s such a long road ahead of me in terms of getting better and what I need to do to get better. So that’s where I’m at. But it’s crazy, you’ve got guys that are younger than me now on the team, it’s just new. It’s different.”

Nick Bosa speaks about Brock Purdy’s fame…

“I don’t think he’s ever going to change, even when he gets paid next year. He’s a man of faith. He reminds me of Scottie Scheffler, except he didn’t get arrested. He’s just super humble and a really good kid. He’s definitely famous” pic.twitter.com/4sXlSEs4kx

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 23, 2024

Purdy started out relatively shy when he first got to the 49ers’ locker room in 2022. And why wouldn’t he be? Mr. Irrelevant on a playoff contender that already had a QB in the wings (Trey Lance). But fate has a funny way of working sometimes, and Purdy was ready for any opportunity that was thrown his way.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Now entering Year 3, the Iowa State alum is more vocal in the looker room, taking command of his offense under coach Kyle Shanahan. But challenges still present themselves, especially when it comes to the business side.

Purdy himself will be up for an extension after the 2024 season, with a salary in the excessive of $40 million annually firmly in the plans should schuss be sustained. The problem now is taking care of his running mates, particularly wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who enters the fifth-year option of his rookie deal. Aiyuk has not made an appearance at 49ers’ OTAs the first week, holding out for his deserved long-term deal.

As for where Purdy stands? He tries to focus on the task at hand and making the most of the guys who are in the building. But he’d be lying if he didn’t want to see his favorite target get the bag.

“Yeah, I think it’s extremely important. He is a playmaker. Love throwing to him. Love B.A. as a person. So yeah, it’s definitely important. I’ve said this before, it’s out of my control. But for me, I’m showing up every day trying to get better with the new guys and the guys that are here and that is what it is. But hopefully, it gets settled soon,” Purdy stated.

A man at center stage of an offense, Brock Purdy felt particularly helpless during the NFL Draft last month. 

The Arizona native knows his bosses have a propensity to make splash moves on draft day, with both Aiyuk and fellow WR Deebo Samuel in the rumor mills throughout the process. In the end, both players remain 49ers. But, the uncertainty of the whole situation left Purdy on the edge of his seat.

“Yeah, for sure. The Draft is going on and stuff and obviously you’re excited to get guys that you’re drafting but at the same time it’s like, ‘dang dude we could have some kind of trade stuff happen and whatever.’ But like I said, all that’s out of my control. I was sort of just sitting there, waiting to see what our team was going to do and everything. My job is to show up and rip it to the open guy and try to win games…But I do love my boys and I obviously hope that we can all continue to play together,” he said.

Samuel heads made his presence felt this offseason, showing up for 49ers’ OTAs in phenomenal shape. But Purdy’s chemistry with the starters is already established, he (and the offense) need this time to work with the new guys, especially rookie wideouts Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing.

And so far, the former has made a quick impact with Purdy, handling his preparation like a pro from Day 1.

“Yeah, he’s done a good job coming in, obviously learning the playbook, coming to work every day. As a quarterback and really the whole team, we always like young guys that can come in and they’re willing to do the dirty work to learn and start from the ground up. And he has done that, he has done everything right,” Purdy said about Pearsall. “Getting out on the field, being able to throw him the ball, and obviously seeing his hands, the way he moves, all of it, it’s been good. Really excited to have him.”

The 49ers’ 2024 offseason program feels a bit different than the status quo however. Maybe it’s the current circumstances of the roster. 

The San Francisco 49ers’ championship window has been open for a few years now, longer than a lot of franchises could even hope for. Despite climbing the mountain on a few occasions, they haven’t been able to reach the pinnacle of the NFL, letting the Lombardi Trophy slip away from their grasps twice.

Now entering the 2024 season, financial decisions by the front office are on the horizon. With that comes heighten urgency to get the job done one and for all. That notion is felt by everyone in the room, especially considering Nick Bosa, the team’s defensive superstar, made his first appearance at OTAs in a few years.

The time to take everything serious is now, as apparent to every single person in the 49ers’ facility.

“I mean, it’s sweet. You could tell it means something to him,” Brock Purdy said about Bosa’s attendance. “To show up [in] phase three, practicing on the field, it’s pretty special. For all of us to see that, it’s like ‘All right, if Bosa is taking it serious, then we all should.'”

“If Bosa’s taking this serious, then we all should.”

Brock Purdy shares what it means to have Nick Bosa at OTAs 🙌 pic.twitter.com/q7vN0IZpX0

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) May 21, 2024

Key offseason dates for the San Francisco 49ers

• May 23, May 28-29, May 31–OTAs
• June 4-6 – Mandatory Minicamp

Thank you for reading sactownsports.com. Follow us on Twitter and Google News, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Related

49ers Kyle Shanahan unfazed by key absences during OTAsMayor Steinberg gives update on MLS-to-Sacramento effortsJerry Reynolds calls LeBron James "the greatest player" everFaithful Flashbacks #16: Big Easy Bound49ers QB Brock Purdy wants more from offense ahead of Chargers preseason matchupKyle Shanahan downplays Christian McCaffrey’s absence from practice