NFL rumors: 49ers knew Brock Purdy would be claimed on waivers in 2022

Brock Purdy has changed the 49ers franchise's entire trajectory since 2022, but the young quarterback's career nearly took a sharp turn to another NFL organization during his rookie season.

San Francisco elected to keep Purdy on its active roster to begin that season because it had intel that at least two other teams planned to submit a waiver claim for him, ESPN's Kalyn Kahler reported Tuesday, citing a front-office source with direct knowledge of the interest in the QB.

Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, showed 49ers brass enough in his first training camp and preseason to inspire them to keep him as a third QB on their active roster instead of trying to sneak him through waivers and onto their practice squad.

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Purdy later validated that decision, shining from the moment he hit the turf at Levi's Stadium as the 49ers' No. 1 quarterback after season-ending injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.

The dice roll was very similar to one the New England Patriots made more than 20 years ago, when they decided to roster four QBs through cut-down day because they didn't want to lose a rookie signal-caller named Tom Brady.

The 49ers won the first seven games in which Purdy started before suffering a heartbreaking defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. Purdy and backup Josh Johnson went down with injuries in that game, drastically altering what could have been an epic NFC heavyweight matchup.

In the aftermath of San Francisco's 31-7 loss, the NFL imposed a rule change that now allows teams to carry an emergency third QB who can dress on game days while not counting against the 48-player limit, as long as he's also on the 53-man roster. That opened the door for QBs such as Purdy to find their way onto NFL rosters, potentially creating avenues for players who otherwise might have seen their football dreams unceremoniously end before they realized their potential.