SANTA CLARA -- Brock Purdy is entering only his third NFL season, but you wouldn't know that based on the way his superstar teammates talk about him.
After Purdy missed a sizable portion of the 49ers' 2023 offseason program while rehabbing from a UCL injury, the 24-year-old quarterback still managed to be among the NFL's most productive quarterbacks last season despite missing out on critical reps.
Following Thursday's practice in Santa Clara, Christian McCaffrey explained how vital Purdy participating throughout the entire offseason will be for San Francisco's offense moving forward.
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While the All-Pro running back cited the benefits of getting reps, McCaffrey also acknowledged how good Purdy looked last season despite a dimished offseason workload, before pivoting toward heaping praise on his quarterback for the tremendous command the third-year signal-caller has of a 49ers' offense that is loaded with A-list veterans.
"Huge benefit, huge benefit. I think obviously the reps are important," McCaffrey said. "I think it's been so impressive to see what he can do without those reps. But he looks great, feels great, he's talking great. Just happy he's our quarterback."
Purdy finished the 2023 season ranked No. 1 in passer rating (113.0), yards per attempt (9.6) and QBR (72.6), earning significant consideration in NFL MVP voting for the duration of the campaign. Those numbers are impressive in their own right, but they become nearly unbelievable when you factor in the grueling rehab Purdy dealt with coming off major elbow surgery.
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McCaffrey's confidence is beyond justified, as the 49ers' success as a team parallels the impressive individual numbers the 24-year-old quarterback has posted in the NFL. San Francisco's offense has been a well-oiled machine dating back to Purdy's first start as a rookie, and it's no coincidence the 49ers win roughly 80 percent of their regular-season games when he is under center.
While Purdy doesn't have the gaudy physical traits that typically are associated with elite quarterbacks, the 24-year-old has the intangibles that are consistent among the best players at the position from any NFL era.
Cerebral ability, the skill to rapidly process information and execute on the fly, and most importantly, natural leadership. On a team that likely has a few players destined to be enshrined in Canton when their playing careers are over, Purdy immediately established himself as someone San Francisco's veteran superstars would run through a wall for.
But how did he earn that immense respect in such a short amount of time? By being himself. Even after a Super Bowl appearance and the stardom that comes with a record-breaking campaign for a historic franchise, Purdy's demeanor is the same as when he was third-string quarterback that got thrown into the fire. And that is not lost on his teammates.
Purdy has looked sharp through the initial stages of training camp, throwing the ball with the confidence that comes with knowing you're the guy -- but more importantly -- understanding your teammates truly believe you are the right person for the job.
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