There are $265 million reasons Brock Purdy will go back to starting for the 49ers at quarterback over supersub Mac Jones when back at full health. There is also no good reason to rush Purdy back into action with a lingering injury.
Purdy has a painful turf toe that's still bothering him. Per coach Kyle Shanahan, this week the 49ers want to feel comfortable about him playing without any discomfort. It's hard to feel that way until Purdy can get in a whole week of practicing in full ahead of a game.
Purdy was ruled out for Week 9 at the Giants and his recovery will continue in Week 10's huge NFC West home game vs. The Rams, as Jones once again will be the starter.
Jones has started seven of nine games so far, with the team going 5-2 in those games. Despite some key defensive injuries and some receiving help missing from the offense, the 49ers are 6-3, well-positioned to catch the 6-2 Rams and 6-2 Seahawks after beating both teams in the first meetings.
Given the tightness of the division race, it would seem like the 49ers should want to press Purdy into action to give their passing game more big-play upside with his deep-ball prowess. But it would be smarter to keep waiting as long as possible with Purdy.
Here are four reasons why Shanahan should give Purdy all the extra time he needs:
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49Ers should wait on Purdy
Mac Jones wins with steady play
Jones' two losses have come on the road, one against the tricky Tampa Bay defense and one against the tough Houston defense. Otherwise, he's gone 2-0 at home and 3-0 on the road, including starring in a big Week 4 comeback over the Rams in Los Angeles.
The 49ers have kept their two most important offensive pieces on the field, left tackle Trent Williams and running back Christian McCaffrey. They just got another tight end, George Kittle. If the Niners were to fall to the Rams in the rematch at home, it would be more about their depleted defense than what their offense can do. There should be confidence that Jones will get the support he needs from Shanahan and others in San Francisco to help beat Los Angeles.
Plus, throwing a limited Purdy at the Rams' defense in his first game back isn't wise. The 49ers already rushed Purdy once in Week 4, and it added up to a loss vs. The Jaguars defense.
49Ers face more favorable second-half slate
Once the 49ers get past the Rams, regardless of the Week 10 result, their remaining schedule is favorable. They play the Kyler Murray-less Cardinals in Arizona in Week 11. Then come the tough but inconsistent Panthers to San Francisco in Week 12.
If that didn't seem easy enough, the 49ers go to Cleveland in Week 13 and host Tennessee in Week 15. That sets up the 49ers to be at least 10-4 going into the final three games, even without Purdy healthy.
MORE: Full history of 49ers' recent injury woes
49Ers get late bye in Week 14
Should the 49ers beat the Rams to set up a potential six-game winning streak, they would be sitting pretty to make sure they excel on the side of caution with Purdy. Between the Browns and Titans games, the 49ers are off to get them settled for the final-month stretch run for the playoffs.
Getting to that extra week of rest without worrying about game preparation would be huge for Purdy's healing. Even more enticing is the fact Purdy will get a tuneup "get-well' game at the Titans for his latest presumed return after the bye.
The 49ers end with the Colts, Bears and Seahawks, all winning teams with the respective No. 1, No. 6 and No. 5 current scoring offenses in the NFL. With Jones starting most of the games, the 49ers are averaging only 21.6 points per game this season, or fewer than 2024 when Purdy saw Williams and McCaffrey miss a combined 20 games.
When Purdy, Williams and McCaffrey were all healthy for almost every game in 2023, the 49ers were No. 2 in scoring, at 28.6 points per game. That ultimate goal, should the 49ers take care of business vs. Those lesser teams, is getting Purdy back for those potential high-scoring affairs in the final three weeks.
Purdy's top receiver returns for 49ers in December
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has needed a long time to recover from the major knee injuries (torn ACL, torn MCL) he suffered last October. The one-year mark has passed and the team is still not clear on when it can open up Aiyuk's practice window to return from the physically unable to perform/reserve list.
But there is a sense Aiyuk will still play in 2025 at some point in December. The 49ers don't play the Titans post-bay until Dec. 14. That should provide some optimism Aiyuk will be back for the Colts in Week 15, a Dec. 22 Monday night game.
That would be some incredible timing to get the 49ers big-play receiver back. At that same time, the 49ers should also hope second-year rising star Ricky Pearsall (knee) will have been back for several games and that Williams, McCaffrey and Kittle have remained healthy.
Purdy and all of his main receiving, rushing and blocking weapons being on the field at the same time would mean a lot more explosive offense for the 49ers at the exact right time to get some scoring momentum for a playoff run, regardless of wild card vs. Division-winning status.