Brock Purdy has been precisely what the 49ers have needed through three games, but has he done enough to be mentioned in the MVP conversation?
NFL Network's Steve Wyche and Jeffri Chadiha explained why Purdy has a stronger case than some might think.
"One guy we can't overlook is Brock Purdy," Wyche said. "He's not going to necessarily put up the Tua [Tagovailoa]-like stats, but you wrote in your column we have got to stop thinking about this guy as a good story because he is a legitimate, stud, NFL quarterback."
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Purdy currently is ranked in the top five in QBR (2nd), yards per attempt (2nd) and passer rating (4th), all while leading the 49ers to a dominant 3-0 start.
Chadiha pointed out that while Purdy may not be posting gaudy traditional box score numbers, he is checking boxes that have typically been a recipe for success to put players in the MVP conversation.
"[Purdy] knows he can make the plays he has to make when he is called upon, Chadiha said. "He can use his legs, he can use his arm, he doesn't put them in bad positions, doesn't turn the ball over… quietly, that's what gets you into the MVP conversation. Being consistent and playing on high-profile teams that win a lot."
Chadiha also noted how the dearth of quality candidates has opened the door for a player like Purdy to firmly place themselves in the conversation.
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"When I do my MVP ratings, for the first read, what I've been blown away by in this first year is how hard it is to find people you really believe in, who you could make a case for," Chadiha said. "And Tua is running away with it right now, and I think Tyreek Hill should be in that conversation, and you could have made a case for Micah Parsons before this past weekend.
"But there is a lot of opportunity for someone like him [Purdy], in a season like this, to step into that conversation. Because a lot of the guys you expect to be there, like the Joe Burrow's, Justin Herbert's, Josh Allen's, they're not taking off in the same way. And so we still have to have people to vote for and talk about. He [Purdy] is going to play in enough big-time games, and when he's playing in these games already, he looks the part. He looks like a guy who knows what he's doing, who's having an impact beyond just coming along for the ride."
There's a lot of season remaining, but Purdy's potential run at an MVP award will be something to keep an eye on if he continues to impress while the 49ers rack up wins.