Report: 49ers QB Brock Purdy’s status still ‘truly unknown’ for Bills bout

The San Francisco 49ers may again be without starting quarterback Brock Purdy for their Week 13 clash with the San Francisco 49ers.

Kyle Silagyi | 3 Hours Ago

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The Buffalo Bills may be in line to face their third backup quarterback of the 2024 season this Sunday when they host the San Francisco 49ers in a primetime bout, as the reigning NFC Champions may be without starting quarterback Brock Purdy for a second consecutive game.

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan shared last week that Purdy, who injured his shoulder in his team’s Week 11 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, would not only be sidelined for the 49ers’ Week 12 bout with the Green Bay Packers, but he was also in jeopardy of missing the club’s Week 13 matchup with the Bills. San Francisco’s brass is still unsure whether Purdy will be able to go this Sunday, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, who recently wrote in an article that the third-year signal-caller’s Week 13 status is still firmly up in the air.

“The 49ers were surprised that the shoulder bothered him enough Thursday to where he couldn't finish practice,” Graziano wrote of Purdy’s injury. “They sent him for MRIs, but the results were encouraging. He threw some Monday and took Tuesday off, and their plan is to assess how he feels Wednesday and plan from there. It's truly unknown whether Purdy will be available Sunday night in Buffalo.”

Purdy, though not necessarily a world-beater who is going to singlehandedly defeat an opponent, is still an integral part of San Francisco’s offense in that he allows it to function as intended; he’s completed 66% of his passes this season for 2,613 yards while posting a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 13-to-8, leading the injury-marred 49ers to a 5-5 record prior to suffering his injury.

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Veteran field general Brandon Allen spelled Purdy last week, completing 17 of 29 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 38-10 loss. San Francisco, despite its injuries, is still a talented team that’s not to be overlooked; that said, it’s a significantly stronger team with Purdy than it is with Allen, and given Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott’s penchant for feasting on backup quarterbacks, the starter’s status could go a long way in determining the outcome of the game.

The 49ers (and, thus, the Bills) will learn more about Purdy’s availability as the week progresses.

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